Victoria's Secret
by kaleen1212
Summary: Chief Ironside's Aunt Victoria has a fifty-year-old secret. Now she is being blackmailed. Will Chief Ironside be able to find out in time to save his aunt?
1. Chapter 1

**Victoria's Secret**

**Chapter 1**

Mark Sanger put a cup of coffee on the table in front of Chief Robert T. Ironside. "Thanks Mark," Ironside said. After a particularly physically and emotionally draining case, Ironside was ready for a long needed vacation and so was his staff. The city council was so relieved to have the Moonlight Killer behind bars one of them had offered their cabin to Ironside and his staff for two weeks of fishing and relaxation. Ironside was looking forward to leaving the office and the caseload that came with it behind.

The door to the office opened. Sgt. Ed Brown and Officer Eve Whitfield walked in and came down the ramp that served as a means for Ironside's wheel chair to navigate the difference in the floor levels.

"Morning chief," they said in unison.

Ironside grunted a greeting. Ever since the conclusion of the case, the chief had been rather quiet especially for him. Barbara's decision to take some time with her daughter and deal with the divorce had come as a surprise to Ironside. She had told him she wanted to be with him but she needed time. She told him she would contact him when she was ready and asked him to wait. Reluctantly Ironside gave in and agreed not to contact her. That was three months ago and he had not even received a phone call from her.

Had he given her enough time? After all, a divorce that involved children took time.

No one brought up the subject not even Mark who occasionally could talk the chief through what was bothering him. Mark figured this was one subject best left alone unless the boss brought it up himself.

"If we are going to leave here on Friday we have reports that have to be on the commissioner's desk," Ironside growled at his staff. "He has been on my back for a week."

Eve was about to point out that the only report not yet completed was the chief's report but then thought better of it. "I'll finish the report, chief but I will need your input."

Ironside grabbed his handwritten notes. His demeanor seemed to change at the sound of Eve's voice.

Ed smiled to himself. Eve just had a way with the chief that the rest of them did not. "If there is anything I can add to it I'll be happy to help," Ed offered.

Ironside listened to his officers. He knew he had not been in the best of moods since Barbara left. He appreciated more than he could ever express to them the understanding and support they provided him.

"Almost forgot," Mark said. "Your Aunt Victoria called. She would like you to call her back."

Aunt Victoria. Ironside loved her dearly but ever since one of her bridge club friends had been murdered, Ironside had to step in and stop the Tuesday Afternoon Bridge club from their amateur investigating of local crimes.

He had scolded his Aunt more times that he could count. Each time he thought he had got through to her he caught her and her bridge player friends at it again. Only last week he had Ed hauled them all into his office for another stern lecture about the dangerous people they were dealing with. He had just yesterday assigned officers in their area to keep an eye on the ladies in an attempt to keep them out of trouble. He would no doubt hear about such a misappropriation of funds if Commissioner Randall ever got wind of it.

"Eve, would you get my aunt on the phone for me please?" Ironside wheeled his chair toward the table.

Eve dialed the now familiar number. After several rings, the voice mail came on. Eve left a message for Aunt Victoria to call her nephew.

Eve informed the chief she was not at home. He could not help but wonder what she was up to now.

xxxxx

Victoria Ironside noticed the police cruiser behind her car. He had been there for several blocks now. She certainly hoped her nephew was not having her tailed. She was proud of the man her nephew had become. He was a household name in the city of San Francisco. He had even become famous the world over in his field. Here in San Francisco the name Ironside sent shivers up the spines of criminals everywhere.

Victoria had followed Robert's career for years. He had solved some of the toughest cases others could not crack. In fact, he solved the murder of one of her dearest friends.

Victoria knew she had upset Robert tremendously lately with her investigations into crimes in San Francisco. She just could not figure out why Robert did not understand why she did it. After all, was she not an Ironside? That alone should help him understand why she did it. But no, her nephew had dragged her and her friends into his office to scold them yet again about behaving as amateur detectives. It was most embarrassing. Now she found herself in yet another investigation.

This one was personal. Not even Robert would be able to get her to back off of her efforts. If only she could go to Robert with what she knew...but she could not. He must never know her secret. She would not risk his love. Robert meant more to her than he could possibility know. She swelled with pride over the man he had become. His very appearance in public was covered by the press. He would be such a valuable asset to her investigation if only she could ask him.

Victoria looked behind her vehicle. That annoying officer was still there. It was time she lost him.

xxxxx

Officer Pete Kelly and Officer Jillian Tomaz were following Chief Ironside's aunt. Of all the rotten assignments, thought Pete. "How am I ever to get a promotion when the chief is assigning me to follow little old ladies around the city?" He said out loud.

"I can assure you of one thing if you lose this little old lady you will end up on traffic detail," Jillian said.

"Why is that? How important can this little old lady be? She is no different than the other ones he has had us following around since yesterday," Pete insisted.

"Guess again, partner. This one is Victoria Ironside," Jillian informed him.

Ironside...with a name like that she must be related to the chief," he said.

"His aunt, so I suggest you do not lose her because if you do you will be the one to tell the chief, not me, Jillian said.

"Why in the hell are we following Ironside's aunt?" Pet asked his partner.

"From what I hear the old lady fancies herself as an amateur detective. The chief is trying to keep her out of trouble. He can't get her to stop." Jillian watched as Ironside's aunt turned the corner slowly. "Hang back a bit. We don't want her to spot us following her."

Officer Pete Kelly slowed the vehicle and asked," If she is not supposed to know she has a tail then why are we doing it in a patrol car?"

"Just keep her in sight," Jillian said.

Pete turned the corner. Victoria Ironside's vehicle was gone. It was nowhere in sight. "Where is she?" Pete was already beginning to panic. No one wanted to face Chief Ironside with bad news.

"She must have been moving faster than we thought. Go to the next intersection. She must have turned one way or the other," she instructed.

Pete sped up the patrol car until he reached the corner. He looked both ways but could not spot Victoria Ironside in either direction. "Now what?"

Jillian was now beginning to panic. "Try one way or the other. We have to find her. Ironside will kill us."

Pete turned to the left. He continued down the road a couple blocks. He turned around and went back the other way. After circling the area for fifteen minutes, he pulled over. "What do we do now?"

Jillian looked down the street and then in the rearview mirror. She reached for the phone and punched speed dial. "Get me Chief Ironside."

xxxx

Victoria Ironside sat in her car in the garage of her dear friend, Mildred Busha. Mildred was on vacation with her husband, Ernest. They had flown to Florida to visit their daughter and her husband. Victoria had agreed to keep an eye on their home. Last night before Victoria left their home after checking it, she took the remote control to the garage door out of Mildred Chevrolet Impala. It was now on the window visor of her own Ford station wagon.

Victoria reached up, removed the garage door remote control opener, and got out of her car. After slamming the door and locking the car she got in Mildred's Impala and started it up. Pressing the remote control, she opened the garage door. Victoria backed her friend's car out of the garage and drove away. She headed to her new job at the child adoption agency.

xxxxx

The phone in Chief Ironside's office rang. Eve reached for the closest phone and picked up the receiver. "Chief Ironside's office." She listened for a moment or two and said to her boss, "Chief, Officer Jillian Tomaz is on the line. She wants to talk to you about your Aunt Victoria."

He grabbed the receiver and barked into the phone, "Ironside." After listening for a minute, he shouted into the phone, "What the hell do you mean you lost her? How can a two thousand pound car disappear into thin air?" He continued to listen. The frown on his face became more pronounced. "Would you like to explain to me how two trained police officers managed to lose a little old lady driving in a station wagon?" He continued to listen to Jillian Tomaz. "Well find her Officer Tomaz or you and Officer Kelly will be assigned to traffic control," he roared and slammed the phone into the receiver.

"They lost her?" Eve asked

"They lost her," Ironside confirmed. "Eve, call her bridge club members and see if they know where she was going. She ditched her tail. She must have had some place she did not want me to know she was going." This is all I need, Ironside thought. I should be getting ready to go on vacation and I have to track down my Aunt Victoria.

xxxxx

Victoria sat at her desk at her new job at the Coleman adoption agency. She had interviewed for the job a month ago when she heard the agency was part of a black market for buying babies. Two weeks ago, she had received an unsigned letter threatening to expose a fifty-year-old secret from her past if she did not get her nephew to back off his investigation of a missing child. Victoria had been very upset about the letter. She simply could not allow that secret to be exposed. Robert must never know. However, how could she do as the blackmailer asked? Robert would never back off any investigation. He certainly would never give in to blackmail.

She needed Robert right now more than she ever had. She was in trouble and unlike most people; she had a famous detective for a nephew. Yet she could not go to him. No, she had to investigate this on her own. How would she keep Robert from watching her night and day? She knew that patrol car was following her. She was sure Robert had ordered those officers to do so. Victoria smiled to herself thinking about the officers having to call her nephew and tell him that she had slipped their tail. She laughed to herself wondering if he had threatened to put them on traffic detail. That was one of his favorites. He was constantly threatening to demote those who failed him. Of course he never did. He was only venting his frustrations at those officers who were unable to accomplish what he wanted. Victoria was amused by way in which her nephew was able to intimidate those around him. If they only knew behind that rough, gruff exterior was a heart of gold. However, she would not be the one to ruin that image. It was that image that helped him to push his officers to the limits of their talent and beyond.

Victoria sat down at her desk and powered up her computer. She began searching the records of children that had been adopted lately. There were so many she just could not believe they had all been given up for adoption. Wasn't it difficult to adopt a child these days? Victoria had read there were not enough babies to go around for those who wanted to adopt. If that was true, than where could they possibly be getting all of these children? She had to find out. Something was wrong here. It must have something to do with the missing child that Robert was investigating.

xxxxx

"Did you mail the letter to the old lady?" Derek asked Harry.

"Yes. She should have received it about two weeks ago. I thought I would give her a little time to let it sink in. Tomorrow we will contact her. We need to find out if she has contacted Ironside about backing off," Harry said.

Derek took a swig of his beer. "I am not so sure this is the way to go. Have you ever known Ironside to back off anything? He is like a bulldog with a bone. Once he is put on a case, he does not stop until he has it solved. Wouldn't it make more sense to just take Ironside out?"

Harry laughed, "You and whose army? Do you have any idea how many times that has been tried? Every time someone tries that Ironside puts them behind bars. I am not about to mess with the man."

Derek looked at his brother. "Are you scared of Ironside? The man is a cripple. He travels around in a wheel chair for cripes sakes."

Harry felt rising anger. "It is that kind of thinking that causes a person's downfall when dealing with Ironside. Why don't you ask Jimmy Chard if he thinks of Ironside as a cripple? He had the man in his office at gunpoint and with butcher knives on two separate occasions and Ironside outsmarted him both times. Now Chard is in jail for the rest of his life."

Derek shook his head. "He is not in jail. Ironside got him moved to an institution for the criminally insane so he would get help."

"What in the hell is the difference. He's locked up isn't he?" Harry said now irritated with his brother.

"You are scared of Ironside, aren't you?" Derek said with a grin.

"Anyone in their right mind is scared of Ironside. If he has you in his sights, you are in trouble. He is looking for that kid. I am afraid it will eventually lead him to us. We picked that kid up, Derek. Ironside is going to find out," Harry worried.

"Just take it easy. Ironside is not going to find out. We will pressure the old lady to get him to back off. If that doesn't work, we'll grab her and use her against Ironside," Derek said.

"Oh yea, that's a great idea. Enrage Ironside so that he comes at us with both guns blazing. You are crazy you know that. We need to try to avoid an entanglement with him not make him angry enough to come after us, Harry complained. "You've seen what he does when anyone harms a member of his staff. What in the hell do you think he will do if we go after a member of his family?"

Derek tried to calm his brother. "We are going to try this your way. If it works, we are home free but if it does not we do it my way. Relax, bro. I have no intention of tangling with him if we don't have to."

"Alright, Derek. Let's just hope we don't have to butt heads with him," Harry said not believing for one minute that they would not.

xxxxx

"Ed, do you have that Palmateer file handy?" Ironside asked.

"Yes, chief. It's right here," Ed replied. He picked the file up and took it to his boss. "Tracy Palmateer, five years old. She came up missing from the family's back yard. There has been no trace of her since. She has been missing for three months now. Her parents are Jim and Jan Turner. They are wealthy. He owns a company that manufactures computer chips. Apparently, he markets them all over the world. The company also does research in the next up and coming technology in the computer world."

"Isn't this the third child that has come up missing in just the last two month?" Eve asked.

"Yes. In each case the parents had taken their eye off of the child for a moment and then they have vanished into thin air," Ironside said.

"Chief, do we really have time to get into this case before we leave for vacation?" Ed asked.

"Would you like to ask the parents of those missing kids that question, Sgt. Brown?" Ironside answered in a raised voice.

"We have time," Brown conceded.

"Ed, get me files on those other missing kids," Ironside ordered his sergeant.

Eve watched her boss as he went through the Palmateer file. She knew that look in his eye. It would not be long and they would all be immersed in these missing child cases. Eve was now wondering if they would even get away this week for vacation. It would not be the first time vacations were delayed due to a case that got the chief's attention.

"Has there been any news on my aunt?" Ironside asked.

"Not yet chief," Ed said. "She has not returned home."

"Eve did you have any luck with the bridge club members?" Ironside inquired.

"No, chief. None of them seem to know where she is or what she is up to," Eve said.

"Or they aren't talking," Ed offered.

"Keep on it. I want to know where she is," Ironside said. He was worried. It was unlike Aunt Victoria to just disappear without letting anyone know where she was. Ironside had an uneasy feeling and he did not like it when he had uneasy feelings. They usually meant trouble.


	2. Chapter 2

**Victoria's Secret**

**Chapter 2**

Chief Ironside had just finished reading his report to be turned into the commissioner. It was the last one to be turned it. "Eve!" Ironside called out to his detective. "Run this over to Commissioner Randall's office, will you please?"

"Yes chief," Eve answered. "She went to the kitchen, pulled out a clean cup. After pouring a fresh cup of coffee, she walked over to her boss and set it down on the table in front of him.

"Thanks, Eve," Ironside said. He took a sip of coffee and watched as Eve walked up the ramp to head out to the Commissioner Randall's office. "Just a minute, Eve."

Officer Eve Whitfield turned around and came back down the ramp. "Yes, chief."

"I would like you to stop by my Aunt Victoria's house. If she is home, I would like you to bring her back here. I want to talk to her before we leave for up north," Ironside said.

"Sure chief. Is there anything else you would like me to do for you?" She asked.

Ironside looked at his pretty police officer. "Like what," he said gruffly.

"I don't know. I was just….."

"You were just worrying about me again," he said interrupting her. "I fine, Eve. I do not need the members of my staff hovering over me," he growled.

"I'm sorry, chief. I was not trying to pry. It's just that you seem so distance lately." She turned and walked back up the ramp to leave.

"Eve!" Ironside called out, "I'll be alright. Thanks."

Eve smiled and continued toward the door. It opened just before she reached it. Mark came in holding the newspaper.

"Later," Eve said as she walked out.

"Bye," Mark replied. He walked down the ramp. He's your paper, chief."

"Did you get the van checked out for the trip?" Ironside asked as he took the newspaper from his aide."

"Yes. It's tuned up, gassed up and ready to go," Mark said. "Do you need anything else, chief? I need to finish one assignment. I have to have it turned in before we leave on Friday."

"Go ahead Mark. I'm fine," Ironside said as he unfolded the paper. Mark left the office, entered his room and closed the door. Ironside scanned the paper. Right there on the front page was a picture of him attending the police officers' fundraiser for homeless children. Ironside had always had a soft spot for kids.

He wheeled over to his desk and picked up the file of the missing Tommy Gavin. Tommy was only two years old. He disappeared from his parent's yard. That was one week ago. Tom and Sherry Gavin came to Ironside's office and pleaded with him to help them find their son. Ironside had watched Sherry grow up. Her father, Len Gavin had served as a detective under him when he was chief of detectives. Len had been killed in the line of duty. Ever since, Ironside had looked out after Sherry. When Tom asked Sherry to marry him, Sherry insisted he ask for Robert Ironside's permission. Tom had not known the chief that well and had been very nervous about doing so. Ironside gave him a rough time and then grinned and gave his approval.

Sherry asked Ironside to take her father's place and bring her down the aisle. Ironside had accepted immediately. He was at the hospital when Tommy had been born. He promised Tom and Sherry he would find Tommy.

He and his staff had followed leads that did not seem to lead anywhere. When Randall had suggested the four-day holiday for them, Chief Ironside had said no immediately. Sherry insisted he take the four days. She knew Ironside and his staff were dead tired after then endless hours they had spent finding and bringing the Moonlight killer in. Ironside only agreed when Randall put Lt. Carl Reese on the case.

"Ed, have you got the Palmateer file?" Ironside asked.

"Yes chief." Ed walked over to his boss and sat down. "Chief, look at this." He pointed to a section of the report.

Ironside read the section Ed pointed out to him. "Two men were seen in the area just before the child disappeared." Ironside continued to read. "No description of either man is in this report. Mrs. Dana Delaney, the next-door neighbor saw them. What detective questions a witness and does not get a description of what could be the possible kidnappers?" Ironside complained. "Ed, go and talk to this woman. Find out what she saw and get a description of the those two men."

"On my way chief." Ed got up and headed out the door.

xxxx

Victoria read the file of Justin Hiriam. The boy was two years old. His mother put the boy up for adoption after discovering she could not take care of him. The father took off as soon as he found out she was pregnant. Victoria looked at the picture of the little boy. What a beautiful child, she thought. He had just been listed in the system two weeks ago. Victoria took down the address of the mother of the child. She would check this child out after she got out of work.

"Have you got that report ready for me yet Wilma?" Hank Rogers asked, standing in front of her desk.

Victoria jumped. "Oh, I am sorry Mr. Rogers. You startled me." She quickly used the control-alt to switch the computer screen to the report that she had completed. "Yes sir. I just need to run it off."

"Good. Run it off and put in on my desk before you leave today. I am going out to check on a client. I will be back in about an hour, maybe two." Rogers grabbed his suit coat and left the office.

Victoria switched the screen back to Justin Hiriam file. The more she looked at the boy the more he looked familiar. Who was this child? She had to find out. She had a nagging feeling she should know who this boy was.

xxxxx

Eve approached the house of Victoria Ironside. After walking up the steps, she knocked on the door. She waited. When no one answered the door, she knocked again. Still no answer. She tried the door. It was locked. Reaching in her purse, she pulled out her cell phone and dialed the chief's office.

"Ironside," the chief barked.

"Chief, its Eve. Your aunt is not at home." Eve could sense the worry in Ironside's voice when he spoke.

"Eve, check out the place where she plays bridge. Find out if anyone there has seen her." Ironside ordered his detective.

"She probable just went shopping chief. We don't have any reason to believe anything is wrong."

Ironside knew Eve was right. There was not really anything that pointed to a problem. For all he knew the officers that lost her the morning just did a lousy job of tailing her. Ironside could just not shake the feeling something was wrong. "Eve, check out it out anyway."

"Alright. I'll call you later" Eve hung up the phone and got back in her car. She did not notice the vehicle that was parked on the other side of the street with two men sitting in the front seats.

xxxxx

Commissioner Randall came into Chief Ironside's office for the second time that day. Ironside turned his head to see who had entered his office. "What brings you back here, Dennis?"

"Carl was informed the police just got a call about another child that has come up missing from the back yard. Bob, that is now four kids that have come up missing this month. One kid could be a kidnapping but four?"

"In other words you smell panic on the city council members," Ironside noted.

"I have not got any calls yet, if that is what you mean but this is starting to worry me. Bob, I would like you to devote full time to this case. Something is going on," Randall said.

"One week ago you insisted my staff and I needed a vacation. Now you want me to devote all our time to this case?" Ironside said raising his voice.

"Now be honest, Bob. You had no intentions of leaving on Friday with the Gavin child still missing," Randall said.

Ironside sighed, "I was hoping something would break before we left. Ed, Mark and Eve all need some time off. I did not want to interrupt their long weekend but Dennis; I cannot just go off and go fishing with this going on. Besides it was you that insisted on this vacation."

"I thought you were looking forward to it," Randall said.

"I was actually, that is until Tom and Sherry Gavin came into the office last week asking for my help. The more I have thought about it Dennis, I just don't think I would relax much," Ironside said.

"When are you going to break it to Eve, Ed and Mark?" Randall asked.

"Not until tomorrow. I will wait and see if they come up with anything today." Ironside answered.

"Chances of finding that boy today are pretty slim," Randall pointed out.

"I know but I cannot cancel their vacation until then. Ironside picked up the Palmateer file. "Ed is out checking on the neighbor who saw two men just before Tracy Palmateer came up missing. Can you believe the officers that did the initial investigation did not bother to put a description of those men in their report?" Ironside said incredulously.

"Maybe the neighbor did not see them well enough to give a description," Randall offered.

"Either way Ed will find out," Ironside added.

"Then I can depend on you to investigate this full time?" Randall asked his top detective.

"Yes, Dennis. We'll find out what is going on." Ironside concurred.

"Bob, there is one other thing…..your aunt. What are you doing about your aunt? We cannot allow her out there with her amateur investigations. She is going to get hurt or worse." Randall knew this was a bit of a sore subject with Bob Ironside.

"I know Dennis. I do not like it more that you do. In fact, I am a bit worried about her. I have not been able to reach her all day. She slipped the tail I had put on her," Ironside said.

"Tail, what do you mean tail? We are using police resources to keep track of your Aunt Victoria?" Randall complained.

"Well right now I at a bit of a loss as to how to keep her from playing detective. I have hauled her and her bridge club friends in here and scolded them. I have talked to her several times and none of it has had an effect." Ironside told him.

"The criminals in this city are scared to death of you but you can't intimidate one little old lady? You must be losing your touch." Randall ribbed his friend. He got up and started out the door. "Keep me informed, Bob."

"Will do, Dennis." Ironside went back to reading the files on the missing children.

xxxxx

Derek Wagner watched as Eve Whitfield got in her car and drove away. "Wow, that babe's a looker."

"That babe works for Ironside," Harry said disgusted. He brother never took anything serious. Why in the world did he ever get himself mixed up in this mess? Now there was no way out.

"She works for Ironside?" Derek said surprised. "What a waste of beautiful woman.

"Will you knock it off? Why is Ironside sending her to the old woman's house? I do not like this. How do we know she has not told Ironside about the blackmail? This whole idea was stupid. I never should have agreed to it. Messing with Ironside is insane," Harry griped.

"Shut up, Harry! You worry too much. She isn't going to say a word to Ironside," Derek said with confidence.

"Just what makes you so damn sure?" Harry asked.

"She won't want Ironside to learn her dirty little secret. She will come through," Derek said.

"Even if she goes to Ironside he is not going to back off. He will not be blackmailed. You have no idea who you are dealing with. He is not your average run of the mill cop. This is IRONSIDE. I never should have allowed you to talk me into this," Harry said with remorse.

"You sound like a broken record. Let's go inside and wait for the old lady." Derek got out of the car and crossed the street. His brother followed him reluctantly.

xxxxx

Mark came out of his room with a report folder in his hand. "Chief, I am going to take this over to my professor to turn it in. Do you need anything?"

Ironside looked up from his paperwork. "No, Mark. I'll see you later." Mark grabbed his jacket off the railing and left.

This entire case bothered him. Children do not just vanish into thin air. Four kids taken inside of a month. Not one of the families had received any ransom requests and at least two of them were wealthy.

No, these kids were being taken for a different reason altogether. Fresh off the memory of the Moonlight Killer, Ironside felt the hair rise on the back of his neck. He did not want to think of the possibility some maniac was out there killing children but it was something he had to consider. There had to be something in the files that gave some clue as to where these kids disappeared. He reached for the file of the first disappearance and began reading again.

xxxxx

Sgt. Brown knocked on the door of Dana Delaney. He looked next door at the Delaney home. There was a car in the driveway. Maybe he would stop and talk to the Palmateers if he got the opportunity. They might know something that was not in the report.

The door in front of him opened and a woman in her fifties looked at Ed. "I not buying whatever it is you are selling," she said and started to close the door.

Ed used his body to block the door. He reached in his suit coat pocket and brought out his badge. Holding it up so Mrs. Delaney could see it he said, "Sgt. Ed Brown, San Francisco police."

She eyed him with distrust but opened the door. "Come in. I don't have much time so make it fast," she said. Dana Delaney led Ed into the living room. She did not offer him a chair. She simply starred at him. "Well? She asked.

"I am investigating the disappearance of Tracy Palmateer. You were home the day she disappeared, is that correct?" he asked.

"Yeah, so what," she replied.

You told the police you saw two men in the area before they disappeared. Can you tell me what they looked like? Ed asked.

"I already talked to the police about this. I do not see any reason for you to be bothering me again about it," she complained.

"Mrs. Delaney, if you would just answer my questions, I will be on my way," Ed said trying to be diplomatic.

"I told you. I answered these questions once and I do not have the time to waste on you. Now I would like you to leave," she said raising her voice.

Ed decided to us his trump card. "I work for Chief Robert T. Ironside. Either you can answer my question now or you can answer Chief Ironside's questions downtown. It's up to you," he said looking her in the eye.

"Ironside?" She calmed right down. "Have a seat, Sergeant," she said.

Ed sat down on the couch. "Please describe the two men you saw," Ed demanded.

"They were young men in their twenties, I would say. Both were blond around five feet ten inches tall. They looked so much alike they could have been brothers," she said.

"Would you recognize them if you saw them again?" He asked her.

"Probably," she said.

"I would like you to come down to headquarter and look through our mug shot files and see if you can find them there," Ed said.

"But you said I could talk to you here. I am doing that. Why do I have to go to police headquarters?" She protested.

"Because that is where the mug shot files are. Would you like to get you purse and a jacket perhaps?" Ed asked.

She gave him a disgusted look and left the room. After a couple minutes, she returned. "Let's get this over with." She followed Ed out the door.

xxxxx

Victoria Ironside pulled into the drive at her home. She got out of the car. When she arrived at her front door, she unlocked it and entered her house. Sitting in her living room were two young blond men. Alarmed, she back toward the door. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Derek stood up. He pulled a gun out of his jacket and walked toward her. "You were supposed to convince your nephew to back off, Ms. Ironside. Why have you not taken care of it?" He asked as he approached her. Derek grabbed her around the neck and placed the gun barrel on her cheek.

"Robert doesn't back off from anything. Talking to him would be a waste of time," she cried.

"You are forgetting about your little secret, aren't you? What do you think your precious nephew would think of you if he found out?" Derek rubbed the gun barrel up and down her cheek. "Now, you are going to talk to Ironside. Get him to back off," Derek demanded. "If you don't, we will tell him your secret. You got that?"

Victoria nodded but did not say anything.

Derek let her go. "You have one week. And do not go telling him about us. Let's go, Harry."

After they left Victoria picked up the phone. She dialed. It seemed like forever before the line was answered. "Ironside," her nephew barked into the phone. Victoria tried to talk to Robert but she could not. She hung up the phone. How could she tell him to back off an investigation? He would want to know why she was asking. It was more than blackmail now. No, she would not call Robert, not until she had enough evidence for him to arrest these thugs. The answer was in that adoption agency. She had one week to find out what was going on, one week to find a way to keep Robert from learning her secret. She could do it. After all, she was an Ironside.

xxxxx


	3. Chapter 3

Victoria's Secret

Chapter 3

Eve Whitfield entered the main card playing room. She immediately spotted Gladys Prescott, Agnes Fairchild, and Bessie Montague playing bridge at the table in the far corner of the room. She headed in their direction. When she arrived at the table, the ladies ignored their visitor while continuing to play bridge. Eve waited a few moments. It became apparent none of the bridge players was going to acknowledge her arrival so she decided to make her presence known. "Excuse me ladies," she said as she showed them her badge. "I work for Chief Robert Ironside."

Gladys looked up from her cards. "We remember you Miss Whitfield. What can we do for you?"

"Chief Ironside is concerned about his Aunt Victoria. He has not been able to reach her by phone. I stopped by her home today but she was not there. Could any of you tell me where I can find her?" Eve asked.

"Don't the officers that were following her know where she is?" Agnes asked without looking away from her cards.

Eve did not know what to say momentarily. When she recovered, she decided to ignore Agnes's remark. "This is important. The chief would like to make sure that she is all right. He would appreciate it if you would help us."

"Just because he is Victoria's nephew does not give him the right to follow her around or us either for that matter," Bessie challenged.

"Chief Ironside is simply trying to keep you ladies safe. You have no idea the type of people you are dealing with. Please try to understand. The chief loves his aunt. He does not want anything to happen to her or you," Eve tried to explain.

"Well, we cannot help you. We do not know where Victoria is," Gladys said.

"Isn't she supposed to be playing bridge with you today?" Eve asked.

"Yes but she did not show up. We do not know where she is," Gladys insisted.

Eve pulled one of Ironside's business cards out of her purse and set it down on the table. "When you do hear from her would you please ask her to contact her nephew?"

"Sure," Gladys said taking the card. "We will tell her IF we see her."

Eve looked at each one of the bridge club members and then turned to leave. Walking the club, she headed to her car and got in.

xxxxx

Victoria pulled Mildred's car into the parking lot at the bridge club. Just as she was about to get out of her car she saw Eve Whitfield leave the club. Victoria ducked down below the dashboard. She could not let Eve see her. She was not ready to see Robert yet. She peaked out the window and watched Officer Whitfield pull away. Victoria got out of the car and went into the club. She headed directly to the table where her friends were playing bridge.

Bessie saw Victoria coming toward their table. She elbowed Gladys and pointed to Victoria. Gladys stood up. "Victoria, your nephew is looking for you."

"I know he is but I cannot see him right now. I need your help. I am in trouble," Victoria told them.

The ladies sat forward. "What would you like us to do?" Gladys inquired.

"That is what I am here to explain." Victoria answered. She proceeded to tell them everything that had transpired.

Bessie was worried. "Maybe you should talk to your nephew. After all, he is a chief in the police department. He could help you."

Victoria looked down. "I can't. Robert must never know my secret. I will not risk losing him. I have to find out how these men got this information. Then maybe I can figure out how to stop them from revealing my secret. Will you help me?"

Gladys patted her hand. "Of course we will. How would you like us to help?"

Victoria motioned for everyone to sit down. "Here's what we are going to do…"

xxxxx

Chief Ironside slammed the phone down into the receiver. His latest attempt at reaching his Aunt Victoria had failed. The door opened and Sgt. Ed Brown walked in with a woman. They walked down the ramp as Ed led Dana Delaney to Ironside's table.

"Chief, this is Dana Delaney. She is the Palmateers next door neighbor," Ed told his boss.

"Mrs. Delaney," Ironside greeted her. "We have brought up mug shot books for you. Please look through them and see if you can find the men you saw at the Palmateers home the day Tracy Palmateer was taken. Before you do that please describe these men to me?"

"Like I told your sergeant they were about five foot ten, blond hair. They looked like they could be brothers," she told Ironside.

"Have you ever seen them in the area before?" Ironside asked.

"No sir, I have not," she responded.

"Did you see them get in or out of a vehicle?" Ironside inquired.

"Yes, they got in a black sedan. I am not sure of the make or model. I am not good with recognizing cars," she answered.

"License plate?" Ironside asked as he looked directly into her eyes.

As many people before her that had a one on one with Robert Ironside, Dana found the steely blue stare unnerving. She looked back at him and said, "I am sorry but I did not see the back of the vehicle." She looked away from Ironside. She simply could not look into those eyes.

"Alright," Ironside said. "Please take your time and check the mug files. I am going to leave you with Sgt. Brown. Mark and I will be back shortly." Ironside motioned to Ed, who came forward and led Dana Delaney to another table to look at the police mug files.

Ironside waited until Ed had Delaney out of earshot and then said, "Mark, I want to go and talk to the Hines family. Caden Hines disappeared this afternoon. "We'll take the van," he said. "Ed," Ironside shouted on the way out, "have Eve contact me in the van if she calls in"

xxxxx

Hank Rogers looked over his desk at Derek and Harry Wagner. As they brought him up to date, his anger began to rise. "Why in the hell would you involve Ironside? We have been able to stay under his radar for over a year now and you decide to wave a red flag in front of a raging bull."

"It was not my idea. I objected from the beginning," Harry complained. "You do not mess with Ironside."

"I cannot believe one crippled cop can instill so much fear in you two. Quit worrying about him. Soon he will back off and we will be in full operation again." Derek said.

"That crippled cop is relentless. He just keeps coming. You stupidly blackmail the man's aunt and you think he is going to back off? It is obvious you have never dealt with Ironside before. When she tells him, our operation is as good as finished. We will have to move it out of San Francisco," Hank shouted.

"Take it easy, Hank. She is not going to go to Ironside. She does not want her dirty little secret revealed. She will get him to look the other way. You will see," Derek insisted.

Hank slammed his fist down in the desk. "If you believe that than you are a fool. Ironside does not back down from anyone and he sure as hell never looks the other way. You had better hope she has not said anything to him yet. You have given me no choice….eliminate her."

"Wait a minute," Harry said excitedly. "I did not sign up for murder. I am not killing anyone, especially Ironside's aunt. We will spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders. He would not quit until he caught us. Forget it, there is no way I am going to face a murder rap."

"You are almost as big a fool as your brother," Hank said with distain. "You are already facing multiple kidnapping charges and for black marketing brats around the world. Now just how long do you think you would get for that?"

"Hank, let's allow this to play out first. We gave the old lady a week to get Ironside to back off. Let's see if she is successful," Derek said trying to soothe the panic.

"No! I am not messing with Ironside. Kill her and do not dump the body anywhere here in San Francisco. In fact, make sure it is never discovered period. Is that clear?" Hank said more as an order than a question.

Derek knew that was no arguing with Hank. His mind was made up. Who was the woman to him, anyway? "Alright, Hank. We will take care of the old bag. Do not worry about it. Consider it done."

Harry could feel the panic rise in his throat but did not know what he could do about it. Hank was right. If Ironside caught up with them, they would spend the rest of their lives in prison either way. If they could silence Ironside's aunt there might be a chance they could get away with it. "Alright, I'm in."

"You damn right you are," Hank said. "Now we needed another kid. Did you pick one up?"

Derek smiled. "Just this afternoon. The kid is over at our shelter. How soon do you need to move this one out?"

"Not for a while yet. We will fill the orders we have to stay on schedule and then we will get out of dodge. Anyone want to move to the sunny state of Florida?" Hank asked.

All that ran through Harry's mind was it is not far enough to get away from Ironside.

xxxxx

Mark maneuvered the chief's van down the street to the home of Caden Hines. Ironside grabbed the mobile phone. He dialed Eve's cell phone number and waited for an answer.

"Officer Whitfield," Eve answered.

"Eve, did you have any luck with the bridge club?" Ironside asked.

"No chief. If they know where your aunt is they are not talking. I just got a lecture about you having police officers follow them," Eve said.

"There was no sign of my aunt at all?" Ironside asked.

"Not at the club, chief. She was not there. What do you want me to do now?" Eve asked her boss.

"Put out an APB on my aunt and pick up the bridge club members. I want to talk to them myself," Ironside said.

"Alright chief. I will take care of it," Eve said as Ironside hung up.

xxxxx

The TABC (The Tuesday Afternoon Bridge Club) completed their game. "I don't see how you can keep your nephew from looking for you," Bessie said to Victoria.

"He is going to be a problem for what you have planned. If he is as worried as Officer Whitfield indicated then is possible he may take drastic measures," Gladys pointed out. Agnes nodded her head in agreement.

"Yes, Robert is persistent," Victoria said. "Maybe there is a way I could throw him off a bit. I will stop at Tony's up ahead. We can have Tony send dinner to Robert and his people. Robert loves Borscht. I'll send borscht with a hand written note. That should convince him I am all right. I'll tell him I am going out of town for a few days and will call him when I get back. That should buy us some time," Victoria said. "But just in case he is not fooled. We are all going to stay at Mildred's house. No one can go home. Robert will be looking for all of you to locate me.

With that, the TBAC left for Mildred's house.

xxxxx

Mark pulled the van to the curb and turned off the ignition. Ironside was in the lift on his way down to the ground when Mark rounded the van. Mark saw the look on his boss's face and said, "What's wrong chief?"

Ironside pointed to the porch. It was evident his wheel chair was not going up those steep steps. Mark grinned and went to back door of the van. Ironside waited impatiently for his aide to return. Mark returned with a portable ramp. Built much like the carousels at the airport, Mark opened it and walked over to the porch. He hooked it across the steps. He turned and looked at his boss with a grin.

"I hope that did not come out of the office budget," Ironside complained.

"Actually the commissioner provided it. He thought it might come in handy," Mark said. He moved in behind Ironside and pushed him toward the steps. When he began to push the chief up the ramp, Ironside assisted by turned the wheels to help the wheel chair up the ramp. Mark rang the doorbell.

A youngster about 14 years old answered the door. "I'm Chief Robert Ironside of the San Francisco Police department. Is your mother home?" He asked.

"If you are a cop, let me see your badge," the boy said. Ironside reached in his suit coat and presented his badge to the lad. "What about him?" The lad pointed at Mark.

"Mr. Sanger is not a police officer. He is my aide," Ironside said amused with the boy.

"Follow me, the boy said. He led Mark and Ironside into the living room. The mother's eyes were red from crying. She stood up from his place on the coach.

Lt. Carl Reese immediately went over to Chief Ironside. "Hello chief."

"What have you got, Carl?" Ironside looked over at the distraught mother.

"Caden Hines disappeared out of the yard this morning," Carl began.

"Could he have wandered away?" Ironside asked.

"Not likely chief. There is a six-foot privacy fence around the yard. The latch is toward the top of the gate. There is no way a four year old child could reach it," Carl answered.

"What time did they discover him missing?" Ironside inquired.

"About eleven o'clock this morning. Mr. Hines said she was outside with the boy when the doorbell rang. She went through the house to answer it. When she came back, the boy was gone," Carl informed him.

"Who was at the door?" Ironside asked.

"I was just about to ask her that when you came in," Carl replied.

Ironside wheeled his chair over to Sylvia Hines. "Mrs. Hines, my name is Robert Ironside. I would like to ask you some questions."

Mrs. Hines dabbed her teary, red eyes and nodded in acknowledgement.

"When you heard the doorbell ring the lieutenant said you went through the house to answer it. Could you tell me who was at the door?" Ironside said gently.

"A salesman," she replied.

"What was he trying to sell you?" Ironside asked.

"He wanted to treat the lawn with some kind of chemicals to help it fill in better. He said they would do it several times and I would see a big difference. I told him I was not interested but you know what sales representatives are like. It took me a few minutes to get rid of him." She started sobbing.

Ironside kept his voice low and gentle as he asked, "Can you tell me what he looked like?"

"Well, I guess he would have been about five feet nine or ten. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. I would say he was about twenty five years old," she told Ironside.

"What about his vehicle? Was it a company car? What lawn company was it?" Ironside asked.

"Now that you mention it, I did not see a company car of any kind. There was a black sedan I did not recognize parked just down the street."

"And you only saw one person?" Ironside continued.

"Yes, just the one man," she answered.

"The young man that answered the door, was he home at the time?" Ironside asked.

"No, he was at soccer practice at the time," Mrs. Hines replied.

"Can you provide a picture of your son for me?" Ironside requested.

Sylvia Hines got up and went over to the desk. She opened the drawer and pulled a picture out. She returned and gave it to Chief Ironside.

"Thank you. We are going to do everything we can to find your son." Ironside reached into his suit coat and retrieved a business card. He offered it to Sylvia Hines. "If you can think of anything else that might help us, please call me at that number."

She nodded and sat back down on the couch as Carl re-entered the room. Carl motioned for Ironside to join him. The chief wheeled over to Carl. "Anything in the back yard that can help us?"

"Nothing chief. I did have the gate and latch dusted for prints," Carl said. "Maybe we can get a match," Carl said.

"Ok, you finish up here. Mark and I are going to get back to the office and find out if Dana Delaney has recognized anyone in the mug files."

"Chief, this is same guys that took the Palmateers kid." Carl observed.

"That is a good possibility. In this case one of them posed as a salesman while the other abducted the child. "We have to find these two before they take any more kids. Meet us back at my office when you are done." Ironside said. "Mark, let's go!"

xxxxx

Caden Hines and Tracy Palmateer sat huddled together on a cot. They had their arms around one another. Both children were terrified and crying. Neither one knew where they were or where their mommy and daddy was. They just wanted to go home.

xxxxx


	4. Chapter 4

Victoria's Secret

Chapter 4

Carl opened the door to Ironside's office as the chief wheeled himself in. Slowing his chair as he came down the ramp Ironside said, "Has Eve called in yet?"

Ed turned around when he heard his boss. "No chief, she hasn't. Did you come up with anything at the Hines house?"

"Two blonde men in their twenties," Ironside answered. "It is beginning to look like these two are behind these kidnappings. Carl, get on those fingerprints right away. I want that report…"

"Yesterday," Carl finished for him as he headed out the door.

Ironside wheeled his chair over to Dana Delaney. "Any luck, Mrs. Delaney? Have you found those men in our mug files?"

She looked at Robert Ironside and said, "Not yet. There are so many men with blonde hair in these files but they don't look like the men I saw, Chief Ironside."

"It is getting late. I will have one of our men take you home. You can come back in the morning and continue?" he asked. It was more of a statement then a question.

"Yes but I don't have a vehicle right now. It is in the repair shop," she told him.

"I will have an officer pick you up tomorrow as well. We appreciate your cooperation. Ed, call down stairs and have a uniformed officer come up here to take Mrs. Delaney home. Make sure there is one to bring her back in the morning," Ironside ordered his sergeant.

Sgt. Brown immediately picked up the phone and called for someone to take her home. Within a few minutes, a uniformed officer entered the office. "You need help with something, chief?" the officer asked.

"Take Mrs. Delaney home will you Don?" Ironside said. He turned to Dana Delaney and told her, "You may go with Officer Johnson. He will see you home. We'll see you in the morning." She followed Johnson out of Ironside's office.

They were met by Officer Eve Whitfield as she came in and down the ramp. "This day has been a total bust," she complained as she sat down.

"I assume you did put out the APB on my aunt, "Ironside said.

"Of course chief. I did that as soon as you asked for it. I also have been to every house of the TABC. None of them is home. I followed that up with a phone call to each one of them and got no answer from any of them," Eve informed her boss.

"Eve, put out an APB on all of the TABC members. They may be trying to avoid us," Ironside said.

"I already did that just before I came in, chief. When I talked to those ladies, I got the feeling they were trying to protect your aunt Victoria. None of them wanted to cooperate. They answered my questions but I got the feeling they were holding back," Eve said.

"They were probably being careful what they told you. They won't want to reveal anything to you that my aunt is not ready for me to know," Ironside pick up the Gavin file and began to read it again.

The door opened and Mark came in with a large brown bag. He walked down the ramp and set the bag on the table.

The aroma invaded Ironside's sense of smell. "Borsch," he said as he opened the bag. "Mark, you know I hate this stuff. Why in the blazes would you bring it home for dinner?" Ironside complained.

"I didn't. It was delivered just before I came in the door. The officer at the desk gave it to me to bring up to you. He said someone from Tony's delivered it.

Ironside looked inside the bag. There was an envelope lying on top of the containers. He reached in and removed it. After opening the envelope, he unfolded the paper and read….._Robert; I wanted to treat you tonight with your favorite meal. I am going out of town for a few days. I know you have been trying to reach me and I intended on calling you before I left but time has not allowed. Please accept this dinner and my apologies. I will contact you as soon as I get back to town. Perhaps we can get together for dinner. Love, Aunt Victoria._

Ironside handed the note to Eve. She read it and handed it to Ed. "I take it you don't believe this," she said.

"Not even one word of it," Ironside said. "She is trying to avoid me. She is definitely up to something." Ironside frowned for a moment and then his face lit up.

"What is it, chief?" Mark asked.

"Something my aunt said to me the last time I spoke to her on the phone," Ironside began. "It was after the second kidnapping. She said someone ought to go undercover and find out what was going on,"

"Undercover where?" Ed wondered. "We don't have any idea yet who is doing this. We don't even have a suspect."

"We have two suspects, Ed," Ironside pointed out.

"Two blond men in their twenties?" Ed said in disbelief. "What are we going to do, shake down every man in his twenties with blond hair in the city of San Francisco?"

"Hopefully it won't come to that," Ironside said. "But if that is what it takes….."

"Chief, do you think your aunt is attempting to investigate the disappearance of these children?" Eve asked him.

"I hope not, Eve. But at this point, anything is possible with Aunt Victoria. What bothers me is this is far more dangerous than anything the TABC has taken on. We have got to find them before one of them is seriously hurt," Ironside said.

"Or worse," Mark added. "Anybody hungry for soup?"

Ironside made a face. "I am not eating borsch. I hate that stuff," he barked.

Well there is nothing fixed for dinner. It is either that or we are going out to eat," Mark said.

"Out to dinner it is," Ironside said. "And then I want everybody back here to work on this case."

Everyone headed toward the door. The borsch was left on the table.

xxxx

Victoria, Gladys, Agnes and Bessie sat outside the Hiriam household. "Now is everybody clear on what they are to do?" Victoria asked her friends.

"Yes," They all answered.

"Alright then. I am going to go ahead and knock on the front door. Gladys, you will drive around and enter the alley in the back. You stay in the car while Agnes and Bessie go into the yard and pick up Justin or rather Tommy. After you pick up Tommy, come around to the front and pick me up. Let's go," Victoria ordered.

She got out of the car and headed up the driveway while the rest of the TABC drove away. Victoria went up the porch steps and knocked on the door. She did not have long to way. A woman answered almost immediately. "Can I help you?" the woman asked.

Victoria handed the woman a card from the adoption agency. "My name is Jessica Smith and I am here from the agency. This is the first of four visits we will make before we sign off with the judge that we have placed Justin in a proper home. May I come in?" Victoria asked as she pushed her way past the woman.

"No one told us anything about visits," Mrs. Hiram said skeptically.

"If you check your adoption paperwork you will find in in there," Victoria began making up things as she went along.

"Well, I guess I don't have a problem with it. Justin is adjusting a little slow but after all he has not been her that long," Mrs. Hiriam told Victoria.

"We don't expect him to adjust right away. These things take time. I would just like to talk to you about Justin and how things are going. We are not trying to remove the boy. He would not be here if we did not believe we had placed him in a good home. We just have to do these follow ups and then you will be on your own." Victoria smiled at her. "May we sit down for a few minutes?"

Mrs. Hiriam led Victoria into the living room.

xxxxx

Gladys stopped the car in the alley. Agnes and Bessie got out of the vehicle and went to the back gate. Justin was playing on swing set when they entered the yard. They walked over to him. Agnes said, "Hello, Justin."

"My name is Tommy," the boy said with a distrustful look on his face.

"Yes, Tommy, we know that is your real name but we do not want the people who are holding you to know that we intend to take you back to your real mommy and daddy," Bessie told him.

Tommy's eyes lit up. "Do you mean it? You will really take me to my mommy and daddy?"

"Yes Tommy, we mean it. There is a man, a police officer who will make sure you get back home. You know who Chief Ironside is, don't you?" Agnes asked.

Tommy got excited. "Of course I do. He is the big guy in a chair on wheels. He is a very nice man. He lets me sit in his lap and gives me a ride in his chair. He lets me play with his police badge too."

"We are going to take you to Chief Ironside. Will you come with us, Tommy?" Bessie asked.

"Oh boy, will I." Tommy ran into Bessie's arms. She picked him up and left with Gladys. They headed back to the car.

xxxxx

Mrs. Hiriam walked Victoria to the door. "When will your next visit be?"

"Oh I don't think there will be another visit," Victoria said she stepped outside onto the porch. "There is no doubt in my mind that Justin is in a very good home. I will put in my report that another visit is not necessary."

Mrs. Hiriam smiled, "Oh thank you. I assure you Justin is in a very good home. We love him very much already."

Victoria felt a pang of guilt and pity. She knew Tommy did not belong here but as far as she knew these people did nothing wrong. They simply thought they were legally adopting a child. "Good day, Mrs. Hiriam." Victoria hurried down the steps to the waiting car at the curb.

She opened the car door and slid into the driver's seat that Gladys had vacated. "Hello Tommy," she said to the boy.

"You're Aunt Victoria," the boy shouted.

"That's right Tommy and we are going to take you to my nephew, Chief Ironside just as soon as we can. Would you like that?" Victoria asked him.

"I sure would. He will take me home," Tommy said cheerfully.

Victoria pulled away from the curb.

xxxxx

"Eve, would you get me another cup of coffee please?" Ironside asked his officer.

"You are not going to get any sleep at all tonight with the amount of coffee you have been drinking," she warned him.

"I am not going to get any sleep whether I drink coffee or not," Ironside grumbled. "Carl, where's that report on the fingerprints?"

"I'll call down stair. They should have it by now." Carl stepped to a phone and began dialing.

Ironside grabbed a report on the Adams child. Amy Adams had disappeared out of her mother's car. Doris Adams had left the little seven-year-old girl in the car to go into a grocery store to pick up a gallon of milk. When she returned the child was gone. The police had questioned people in the area at the time all of which remembered seeing two blond haired young men. No one saw the child removed from the car. Ironside looked at the other reports. Everyone one of them contained a report of two blond haired men in their twenties. Other than that, they did not have a lead. The chief was becoming frustrated. There had to be a lead as to who these men were and why they were kidnapping these kids. The only explanation was one that worried Ironside greatly.

"Chief, the report is on the way up," Carl called out.

"Ed, have the police sketch artist come up in the morning. If we cannot get a match in the mug files, the next best thing would be a sketch of them. It might give a little more to go on." Ironside ordered.

A police officer entered the office with a report in his hand. "Here you are, chief. I do not think it will help you much though. The prints were clear but they did not match anything in the system."

"That means they have no record. Kidnapping is not exactly starting at the bottom," Ironside mumbled. "Thanks, officer," he said in dismissal. The man turned and left the room.

Eve hung up the phone. "There are reports of missing children in several cities close to San Francisco. Same MO, chief. All were taken out of either cars or back yards. Each time somebody saw two blonde men in their twenties." Eve began yawning.

"Officer Whitfield, are we keeping you up?" Ironside said in a raised voice.

"Chief it is eleven o'clock. There is not much else we can do besides look at these reports. There is not a one of us that do not have them memorized by now," Eve pleaded.

Ironside left out a breath. He knew she was right but he hated ending a day unsuccessfully. "There is something I wanted to talk to all of you about."

Ed looked up from his paperwork and said, "Our vacation is cancelled."

"I just can't walk away from this one for a week," Ironside said.

"And neither can we," Eve agreed. "We don't know where or what your Aunt Victoria is up to and we have kids coming up missing left and right. We would not expect to go on vacation under the circumstance."

Ironside looked at his tired staff. "Go home for the night. We'll start at nine tomorrow."

Eve and Ed got up to leave.

"And thanks," Ironside added. The phone beside him rang. Ed and Eve turned back and waited for him to answer it. "Ironside," he barked into the phone. He listened for a moment and shouted, "Bring the boy up here immediately." Slamming the phone down into the receiver, he looked up at his staff.

"Well?" Mark said.

"Tommy Gavin just walked into the police station," Ironside said in disbelief.

"So much for going home," Ed said as he and Eve came back down the ramp. "Who brought him in?"

"I don't know. Officer Jordan said the boy walked in, gave his name and asked for me." Chief Ironside turned to the door as it opened.

Tommy Gavin took one look at Ironside and shouted, "Uncle Bob!" He ran down the ramp and into Chief Ironside's arms.

"It's all right, Tommy. You are safe now," the chief assured him.

"Oh, I know that. You would never let anything hurt me," Tommy said.

"How did you get here, Tommy?" Ironside asked softly.

"I am not supposed to tell you," Tommy said as he looked away from Ironside.

"Why not?"

"I promised I would not tell you," Tommy answered.

"Tommy, look at me," Ironside said, raising his chin so he was looking into his eyes.

"I am going to call your mom and dad to come take you home. You want to stay with them don't you?" the chief asked him.

"Yes," the boy said.

"Then you have to help me. If you don't tell me how you got here those bad people that took you might try to do it again," he said tenderly.

Tommy's eyes widen. "You won't let them do that will you?"

"Not if I can stop these people but I can't do that unless you help me. So tell me how you got here," Ironside repeated.

Tommy thought for a moment. "But I made a promise."

"You can break a promise if you are helping people. By helping me, you could be helping other kids from being taken from their moms and dads. Would you like to do that?" Ironside kept looking for a way to get Tommy to tell him.

"Well I guess so. Do you think it is alright for me to break my promise, Uncle Bob?"

"I do in this case. You would be helping the police. You do want to help the police, don't you?" The chief asked him.

"Yes I do!" Tommy said excitedly.

"Then tell me who brought you here," Ironside encouraged him.

"Well okay. Victoria brought me here. Her friends came to the house I was staying at and asked if I would like to go home and I said yes! Victoria said she would take me to you so I went with them."

Ironside look up at his staff with a very concerned look on his face. "Eve, call Tom and Sherry Gavin."

Eve immediately moved to a telephone and dialed.

"Tommy, we are calling your parents to come and take you home but first do you remember the men who took you out of the yard where you live with your mom and dad?" Ironside said.

"They had blond hair and looked alike," Tommy said.

"Did you hear their names?" Ironside asked.

"One was named Harry," Tommy told him. "The other one was Derrrr…."

"Derek?" Ironside asked.

"Yes, that is what Harry called him." Tommy said.

"What about his last names? Did you hear their last names?

Tommy shook his head back and forth. "I do not know their last names."

"You have been a big help to the police. I might want you to help again. Is that alright with you?" Ironside said with a smile.

"Sure is chief," Tommy said excitedly. "You are supposed to help the police.

Tommy's parents showed up forty-five minutes later to pick up their son. After they had gone, Chief Ironside said to his staff, "Go home. I'll see you in the morning. Ed and Eve headed out the door and left for the night.

"Are you ready to turn in Chief?" Mark asked.

"No, Mark. I think I will stay up for a while. Pour me a glass of bourbon, will you please," he answered. Robert Ironside wheeled over to the window and looked out over San Francisco. He was full of concern and worry. What have you got yourself involved in this time, Aunt Victoria?


	5. Chapter 5

**Victoria's Secret**

**Chapter 05**

Victoria woke up at six o'clock in the morning. Her first thoughts were of her nephew, Robert T. Ironside. She knew he would be extremely worried about her but she did not see how she could do anything about it. She simply could not go to him yet. She had to find a way to get the information from the computer. She also had to find out who those two young men were.

She had six days to solve this and go to Robert for help. She had to find out what was the connection between those two men and the adoption agency. She now knew that Tommy had been taken from his home and placed for adoption. She shuttered to think the adoption agency she worked for was kidnapping children only to place them for adoption. That however is what she was now sure of after having located Tommy in a foster home. She knew Tom and Sherry Gavin never would have given Tommy up to an adoptive family home. The only explanation was a kidnapping. Tommy must have been sold to the family he had been living with.

Victoria stepped over to the phone in Mildred Busha's home. She dialed police heard quarters. She had to find out if Tommy did indeed go up to Robert's office. She waited while the telephone rang. "San Francisco Police Department, Officer Logan speaking."

"Officer, could you please tell me if Tommy Gavin was able to see Chief Ironside last night?" Victoria asked.

"Just a moment and I will connect you with Chief Ironside's office." Victoria was about to object when she thought better of it. Maybe she could ease Robert's concerns. She decided to stay on the line and speak with him.

"Ironside," the familiar gruff but sleepy voice said.

"Robert, I decided it might be best if I spoke with you. I do not want to you to worry about me," Victoria said.

"Aunt Victoria, where are you?" Ironside practically shouted waking completely.

"That doesn't matter, Robert. Please just listen to me. Did Tommy make it to you safely last night?"

"Victoria, tell me where you are right now," Ironside barked.

"I can't do that right now. Please Robert, I have to know Tommy arrived with you safely," she pleaded.

"Yes, he did. I know you dropped him off, Aunt Victoria. Where did you find him?" Ironside asked.

"Robert, I can't tell you anything right now. As soon as I can, I will call you. I just don't want you to worry about me."

"Damn it Victoria, you are in way over your head. Now tell me where you are. I will have you picked up and you can tell me just what in the hell is going on," Ironside growled.

"I am sorry Robert, I cannot but I promise to call as soon as I can." Victoria hung up the phone. She knew immediately talking to Robert was a mistake. Surely, instead of easing his concerns she only served to make them worse. At least she knew Tommy was safe.

Robert meant so much to her. He may be her nephew but she loved him like a son. He had always been a source of pride for her. He was San Francisco's most celebrated detective. How could she not be proud of that? Carrying the Ironside name had come as an advantage on many, many occasions. Ironside obviously was not a common name anywhere. Victoria could go to a restaurant, give her last name and she would ultimately be asked the question; are you any related to Chief Ironside? As she said yes, she would be seated immediately and at the best table in the restaurant. Robert was well liked in San Francisco…..except for the criminals, of course.

It upset her to have hung up on Robert the way she did but she had no choice. He would not let up on her. She knew he only did it out of concern for her but she just was not ready to reveal to him what she was involved in. She had to find a way to stop those two men from telling her secret. It must remain a secret from Robert. He must never know. He would never understand what she had gone through and why she was in a better position to investigate this one better than he was.

It was time to wake up her friends. She had to tell them the next part of her plan. She just hoped she had enough time to complete her plan before Robert found out about the adoption agency and he would. After all, he was an Ironside and the smartest one of them all.

xxxxx

"Damn it!" Ironside roared as he slammed the receiver down.

Mark came out of his room. He raised his balled fists to his eyes to rub away the slumber of the previous night. "Chief, its six o'clock in the morning. What are you doing on the phone at this hour?"

"Aunt Victoria just called. She is in trouble and she will not tell me where she is. Mark, get me into the shower. Then call Ed and Eve and tell them to get in here," Ironside barked as he pulled himself into a sitting position.

Mark sighed. He had not gotten to bed until two o'clock after he helped Ironside into bed. He never met anyone that could operate on as little sleep as his boss. Unfortunately, no one else was allowed to sleep either. Mark helped Chief Ironside into the shower and walked over to the chief's desk. He began dialing. Ed and Eve were not going to be happy with him.

xxxxx

Victoria Ironside entered the Coleman Adoption agency and sat down at her desk. She booted up the computer and waited. She now knew this agency was kidnapping children and putting them up for adoption. There was no doubt what the motive was money. They were selling these kids, probably to people who wanted children and were not getting results. She had to get some proof she could present to Robert. She hated what she was about to do but she knew she had to get into Hank Rogers office. She had to find out what was going on. She was sure there was something in there that would help her find out.

Victoria looked out the back window. Hank's car was not in his parking spot. He was not usually in the office for another hour yet. She would never have a better chance. Victoria walked over to Hank's office door. She tried the knob. The door was locked. For the average person that might be a problem but she was an Ironside. She studied the lock. She could not believe it. This was just a simple lock. All she needed was a credit card.

Victoria went back to her desk, opened the lower left hand drawer. She reached into her purse and pulled out a visa card. She smiled and returned to Hank's office door. This could not possibly that difficult. She had seen it done on television many times. Placing the card between the door and the doorframe, she pushed on the lock. She could only hope the slanted part of the lock was on this side of the door. She pushed and jimmied the lock and finally wedged the card in between the two. Yes! The slant of the lock was on her side. Victoria pushed the card further in and the lock retracted. Holding he card in place, she turned the knob. The door opened!

Victoria hurried into Hank's office. She moved immediately behind the desk. She began opening drawers. She leafed through the contents of each drawer. Adoption papers were found in the bottom file drawer. Disappointed and frustrated, she found nothing that would help her figure out how the two men who threatened her were involved. She skimmed each file. Nothing! There was not anything in that drawer she could not have accessed on her own computer. Victoria switched to another drawer. Hank's General Ledger for clients of the adoption agency! She sat down in Hank's desk chair and began examining the ledger. She could not believe this stroke of luck. Every dollar that had been exchanged to buy a child was in this book. The ledger contained dozens of entries. _Ring….ring….ring. _Victoria jumped at the sound of the telephone. She reached for the receiver. Placing it to her ear, she announced, "Coleman adoption agency."

"Wilma, I will not be in the office until two o'clock this afternoon. Lock the door and continue with the files I assigned you. Two men will be dropping by at about eleven o'clock. Their names are Derek and Harry Wagner. They have a key to the office as well as one to my private office. They will be taking a general ledger book out of my desk. You are to see that they do not take anything else. If they do, you are to call my cell phone immediately. Is that clear?" Hank asked.

Victoria told him exactly what she knew he wanted to hear. "Perfectly clear, Mr. Rogers. If they attempt to take anything other than what you have authorized you will be informed immediately."

"That's my girl. I will see you at two o'clock," Rogers said and hung up the phone.

Victoria had just bought some time. She set the journal aside and went back to checking the desk. After finding nothing in all of the draws on each side of the desk she grabbed the handle of the middle drawer…..locked. Victoria bent down and examined the lock on the drawer. She smiled. It was a lock a child could force opened. Looking around, she spotted a letter opener lying on the floor. Victoria picked it up and forced the lock open. She opened the drawer. Rifling through the drawer she did not find anything of interest.

Just as she was about to give up a piece of paper fell out of the drawer. She picked it up, turned it over and turned as white as a ghost.

xxxxx

Ed and Eve entered the chief's office at seven twenty. Ironside was already showered, shaved and dressed. "Good morning," they muttered together behind heavy eyes.

Ironside turned at the weak sound of their voices. "Please tell me you young people have at least as much stamina as this senior citizen, he called out in his gruff scolding voice.

Ed and Eve joined him at the table after about four and a half hours of sleep. Eve looked at the chief in disbelief. How does he do it? She knew he would have sat up going over the day's events long after she and Ed would have been sound asleep. Yet Robert T. Ironside was as the expression went….bright eyed and bushy tailed. He could have slept a full eight hours for all it showed in his blue eyes and on his face. She wished she knew his secret.

Ed looked over at Mark. Mark's eyes were red and he looked like he had not slept a wink. He knew the chief would have kept him up. Mark would also have been up at six o'clock with him. He decided despite the fact he was dog-tired he was not about to let the boss know it. "We can handle anything you can. We are just fine and ready to go. What did you have in mind, Chief?"

Eve and Mark both smiled inwardly as they knew Ed was lying through his teeth. He was every bit as tired as they were.

"Aunt Victoria called me at six o'clock this morning. She refused to tell me where she is or what she is up to. She would only say she would contact me when she was ready. I have no choice but to believe she is investigating the same thing we are, the kidnapping of these children. We have to find her before the people that are taking these kids do. So let's go over what we have." He looked to his tired staff to summarize the facts.

"We have several kids taken from their parents' yards or vehicles," Eve said.

"Each time two blonde haired men in their twenties were spotted in the area," Eve offered.

"And one of those kids was removed from the adopted home and returned here by your Aunt Victoria," Mark said.

"Which means she somehow had access to know that Tommy had been adopted by the people she took the boy from," Ed offered.

"The most important fact here is Tommy had been adopted out. Someone is kidnapping children and putting them up for adoption. Why?" Ironside asked his staff to stimulate them.

"Money," Mark stated.

"They are selling kids," Eve said in disbelief.

"Probably for large sums of money," Ironside said with a frown. The only substantial lead we have is two blonde men who are probably picking up the children. What we have to find out is…"

"Who these men are, who is responsible for having them kidnap the kids and how extensive this kidnapping and trafficking ring is," Sgt. Brown finished for him.

"And how the chief's aunt fits into all this," Eve added.

"Chief, the people buying those kids would have to have some form of phony proof that they legally adopted those kids, "Mark observed.

"Which means we have an adoption agency involved in these kidnappings," Eve said.

"Ed, check out all the adoption agencies in this area. Find out if those two blonde men are working for any of them," Ironside ordered. Eve I want you to check out local employment agencies. Take a picture of my aunt with you. Find out if she got a job at one of the agencies. I doubt if she would have used her real name if she suspected child trafficking. She probably used an alias. In the meantime Mark and I are going to go and talk to Tommy Gavin again." Ironside started wheeling his chair toward the ramp.

Eve and Ed headed out the door after them.

xxxxx

Hank Rogers entered the home of David and Joyce Hiriam. He was led into the living room by David. He sat down. He looked around the room but he did not see the boy. "Where is Justin?"

"Stop playing dumb, Rogers. You know fully well where he is. We paid you seventy five thousand dollars for that kid and you send someone in here to steal him back. What are you going to do sell him for a hundred thousand next time," David Hiriam shouted at him.

"Mr. Hiriam, I assure you I do not know what the hell you are talking about. No one from my agency came here and took Justin. Please calm down and tell me what happened," Rogers said.

Joyce Hiriam stood up and walked over to the fireplace where a framed picture of Justin was sitting. "Yesterday a woman came here stating she was from your agency. She said it was the first of four visits your agency would be making to be sure Justin had been placed in a proper home. She questioned me for about twenty minutes. When she left, I went out to the back yard to bring Justin in and he was gone. My next-door neighbor said she saw two elderly ladies put Justin in a car and take him away."

David looked at Hank Rogers. His anger had not subsided a bit. He got up and stood up over Rogers in an attempt to intimidate him. "I would suggest you return our son immediately or we will go to the police."

Rogers was not easily intimidated. He stood up and got directly in David Hirim's face. "And you will tell them what? That you paid seventy five thousand dollars for a kid. Remember I can prove you paid me. If I go to jail, so do the two of you. No, Mr. Hiriam, you are not going to go to the police. You will keep your mouth shut. If you don't I will have my men kill your wife and if that isn't enough to keep you quiet they will take care of you as well. Do I make myself clear?"

Mrs. Hiriam brought her hand up to cover her mouth as she gasped. David immediately calmed down. "What are you going to do about this, then?"

"Tell me what the woman looked like who claimed to be from this agency?"

David turned to his wife. "Honey…..?"

"She was white haired, in her seventies with very proper speech. She was impeccably dressed and said her name was Jessica Smith."

Rogers grew immediately angry. "I believe I know who visited you. I will take care of this and you will get Justin back. Just sit tight and keep your mouths shut." He turned and walked out the door.

xxxxx

Victoria realized she was in terrible danger. Moreover, someone she loved could be in just as great a danger as she was.

_Kill Victoria Ironside _

_Must consider taking out Chief Robert T. Ironside._

She had to get out of this office now before Derek & Harry Wagner came for the general ledger journal. They would recognize her immediately. If she left the office then Hank Rogers would put two and two together. Rogers would figure out Wilma was really Victoria Ironside.

Victoria grabbed the general ledger journal and left the office. Leaving the door open as she hurried to her car, she got in and sped away.

xxxxx

Outside of Victoria Ironside's home, a car with two young men had been parked across the street since seven o'clock in the morning. Each man was getting on the other's nerves. Harry Wagner sat in the passenger seat desperately trying to figure out a way out of the mess he had gotten himself in. He could not take the life of another human being. It was one thing to take kids out of their homes and sell them to someone wealthy enough to pay seventy five to a hundred thousand dollars. It was another to kill another human being. He wished to hell he had never listed to his brother. He needed to find a way to get away from his. Then he could disappear for good.

Harry had made up his mind. He was not going to kill anyone. He was finished with this entire operation. He would make one last attempt to talk his brother into going with him. "Derek, why are you letting Rogers force you into killing Ironside's aunt? Please, listen to me. Ironside will never rest until he finds us. Derek, he will find us. We have plenty of money to live on. Let's split and let Rogers deal with Ironside. We can live anywhere we want with the money we have. We don't have to do this."

Derek shook his head. "We stick to the plan. We kill the old lady, pick up the final orders and then head for Florida to open shop there."

"No, Derek. I am not going to kill anyone. I am not about to stick around until Ironside comes after us. I am spitting. If you are smart, you will come with me. Either way I am leaving. So either drive this car away from here or I am getting out."

Derek said nothing for a moment and then with all the force he could muster backhanded his brother in the face breaking his nose and splattering blood everywhere. "Listen you little weasel, you are going to stay here and stick this out. We are going to Florida and setting up there. You are in whether you like it or not."

Harry wiped the blood from his face. "No, I am leaving. You can't stop me." He reached for the door. Derek grabbed his arm. Harry fought back. Harry swung back at his brother as he tried opening the door again.

Derek pulled the gun out of his pocket. "Now, you listen to me. This stops right here and now. You are not going anywhere."

"Go ahead and shoot because it is the only way you are going to stop me." Harry again reached for the door. Derek pointed the gun at his brother and pulled the trigger. Harry slumped back into the seat and died immediately.

"Damn you! You ruined everything. Derek pushed his brother below the window, started the car and sped away.


	6. Chapter 6

**Victoria's Secret **

**Chapter 6**

Ironside watched Dana Delaney as she described to the police artist, the two blonde men she had seen at the Palmateer residence moments before the child had been kidnapped. He was becoming impatient as he waited. These two men were the key to the kidnappings and to whatever trouble his Aunt Victoria had found herself in.

Sgt. Brown sat at the table. The police artist sketched continually while listening to Mrs. Delaney. Erasing and re-sketching while Delaney corrected each man's features as they appeared in the drawings, the police artist skillfully began shaping the drawings into two pictures of the young men they sought. Ed glanced over at his boss who sat quietly going over files concerning the current case. Brown could read the impatience on Chief Ironside's face. He knew it was only a matter of time before the chief would be unable to contain that impatience.

He got up, went over and sat down beside his worried boss. "It should not be long now, chief. We will have sketches to send around to the department. It should help get things moving."

"Something needs to get this case moving. So far we have gotten nowhere," Ironside growled.

Mark entered the room. He set down a fresh cup of coffee in front of both Ironside and Brown. "Was she able to identify any of the mug files this morning?"

"Not a one," complained Chief Ironside. "That is the second time we have had her in here looking at them. She did not see one photo in there that according to her even looked remotely like the two men she saw. I think there is no doubt now that neither of these men has been arrested for a past crime."

"We will have the sketches, Chief. It will give us something to go with. As soon as they are done, I will have them circulated among all the police officers on duty. Maybe we will get lucky and someone with recognize them or better yet spot them on the street," Ed said trying to bring his boss out of his dark mood before he sank further into it.

"Luck does not solve crimes, Sergeant." Ironside said raising his voice. He pushed his wheel chair back from the table and headed in the direction of the police sketch artist.

Officer Burke Collins handed the sketches to Dana Delaney. She looked them over and nodded her head. "Yes, those are the two men I saw at the Palmateers the day they disappeared."

Ironside took the sketches from Dana Delaney and looked at them carefully. Neither man was familiar to him. He was sure he had never seen either one of them before. He handed them to Ed who had followed him. Ed also looked at them. He looked at his boss and asked, "Have you seen either of them before, Chief."

Frustrated, Ironside snatched them back from Ed. "No," he grumbled. "Mrs. Delaney, if you will go downstairs to the main desk, one of my men will see that you get home. I want to thank you for coming in. You have been a big help." With that, Ironside turned his wheelchair and disappeared into another room.

xxxxx

Eve entered the door to her third employment agency. So far, she had come up empty-handed. She did not like going back to the chief with a report of failure. He never handled it well. Chief Ironside always expected results. She made her way to the receptionist's desk. Eve removed her police badge from her purse. "I'm Officer Whitfield. I am assigned to Chief Ironside's office. We are investigating the disappearance of an elderly woman. We believed she was able to secure a job through an agency such as yours. We would like your help in determining whether or not she was placed by this agency and if so, where?"

"You say you work with Chief Robert Ironside?" The woman asked.

"That is right," Eve confirmed.

"I know Robert Ironside. One of the finest men I have ever known. "Would you believe I actually dated him many years ago?" The woman smiled with nostalgia in her eyes.

Surprised, Eve fumbled, "Really? How long ago was that?"

"Oh, before Robert met his wife. In fact we were dating when he met her." She frowned. "…and of course that is all she wrote."

Eve looked away as she saw disappointment in her eyes. Sensing, she had made Eve uncomfortable the woman smiled. "I will be happy to help you with whatever it is Robert needs. My name is Carolyn Winters," she said as she offered her hand.

Eve shook hands with the woman. When the woman had stood up to offer her hand Eve noticed she was a tall brunette with hazel eyes, a beautiful face and a very shapely figure. As she moved, she carried herself with grace. Yes, Eve thought, I could see the chief with this woman.

Carolyn Winters offered Eve a chair. Miss Winters walked gracefully around the desk and sat down. She powered up the computer and waited. Without looking at Eve she asked, "How is Robert?"

Eve smiled. "Chief Ironside is fine. He will be delighted you asked about him."

"Oh I doubt that. We did not part very friendly. That was not his fault of course. He was always a gentleman but I was very upset when he broke things off with me. You see, I was in love with him. Unfortunately, he did not feel the same about me. Again, that was not his fault. I guess I sort of chased him. I was the one who asked him out. He turned me down several times but he fascinated me so I kept asking until I wore him down. He finally said yes and we dated for a short period. I am afraid he regarded me as no more than a good friend. He was very gentle about it of course, but it was not what I wanted to hear." She looked away from Eve.

"Anyway, I have followed his career. I always knew he was a brilliant man. I wanted to contact him when he was shot but I just could not bring myself to do it." Carolyn turned and began typing on the computer. She casually asked, "Is he seeing anyone?"

Inwardly Eve smiled. "Yes, in fact he is. She is not here in San Francisco right now though. What about you? I assume you have since married."

Without looking away from her computer she replied, "No, I have never married. You see, Robert is a very hard act to follow. No one ever seemed to measure up to him."

Eve decided the best course of action was to say nothing. She waited or Carolyn Winters to speak. When she did, it was not about Robert T. Ironside.

"Alright, I am ready. What is the name of the client you would like me to check?" Winters asked.

"Victoria Ironside," Eve said.

Carolyn Winters looked up in completed surprise. "Is she related to Robert?"

"Yes, his aunt."

Carolyn typed Victoria's name into the computer. She stared at the screen in front of her. "I don't believe this."

"Believe what?" Eve asked.

"We most definitely placed her for work in an adoption agency but the name of the agency was not recorded here," Carolyn said.

"Does that happen often?" Eve asked.

"It never happens." Carolyn reached for the phone. "Sherry, will you come in here please?" Moments later a woman in her early twenties walked into the room. "Sherry, you placed a client by the name of Victoria Ironside?"

"Yes, I did. I believe it was an adoption agency," the woman said.

"What adoption agency?"

"I don't remember. You have the file there in front of you on the computer. It should be right there," she pointed out.

"Well, it isn't," Carolyn snapped. "This is Officer Whitfield. She wants to know the name of the agency so I suggest you jog your memory."

Sherry stood in front of them showing her discomfort. "I do not understand. I put that information in the computer myself. It must be there." She went around the desk and looked at the computer screen. "Carolyn, I know it was there. I pulled that file up a couple days ago to enter other information. It was right there. Someone had to have removed it."

"This is a fairly recent account. You must remember the name of the agency," Eve insisted.

"Of course I do. It was the Coleman Adoption agency." She suddenly got a funny look on her face. "But wait, the woman you are talking about did not use the name of Ironside."

"What are you talking about? I found the file under Ironside with no trouble at all." Carolyn pointed at Victoria Ironside's name on the computer.

"I changed that yesterday. Melissa told me she was Victoria Ironside. She said she had seen her at the bridge club and knew that she was Chief Ironside's aunt. So I changed the record to reflect that."

Eve's voice became very serious, "This is very important, Sherry. Did you contact anyone at the Coleman Adoption Agency and tell them the true identity of the woman who went to work for them?"

"No, I tried contacting them today and no one was answering the phones. I will try again tomorrow," she told Eve.

"No, you will not." Eve stood up. "Victoria Ironside's life may depend on them not knowing who she really is."

Carolyn Winters addressed Eve directly. "This office will in no way inform the Coleman Agency of her identity. You can tell Robert we will cooperate in any way we can"

Eve sat back down. The chief would be pleased with this break in the case.

xxxxx

Derek returned to the Coleman Adoption Agency. He entered the office. When he walked into Hank Rogers' office, Hank pulled a gun out of his jacket and pointed it at Derek.

Derek held his hands up. "Easy, Hank! What's with the gun?"

"We've got problems." He looked past Derek. "Where's Harry?"

"Dead. He gave me no choice. He lost it. He was going to take off. If he had been caught, he would have been cracked by the cops. He was scared to death of Ironside. I could not let him get his hands on Harry." Derek sat down. "What problems are you talking about?"

"Wilma. She stole the ledger journal," Hank replied.

"You mean to tell me some little old lady took a ledger that has every transaction we have ever done inside it?" Derek shouted.

"Calm down. We will find her and when we do, she can join your brother. I should have known she was more than just a secretary. She just did not give me the impression of a secretary. She was just too well dressed and her manner of speaking was too proper. She just did not fit the part," Hank said.

Proper and well dressed….Derek did not like the sound of this. "Was this woman about five feet six, gray hair?"

"Yes, why?" Hank asked.

"I don't think her name was Wilma," Derek said now worried about this mystery secretary. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph. Handing it to Hank, he asked, "Is this Wilma?"

Hank took the picture. He pursed his lips and widened his eyes. He held in front of him a picture of Wilma standing behind a man in a wheel chair with her arms around his neck. The man in the picture was unmistakable. "That's Wilma but what in the hell is she doing with Robert Ironside?"

"Her name is not Wilma. It is Victoria Ironside. She is Ironside's aunt." Derek took the picture.

Rodgers' shoulders slumped. "My god, this is a mess. If she takes that ledger to Ironside, we are finished. How the hell did she get a job here under an alias?"

"Relax Hank. We simply stake out police headquarters and pick her up when she shows up there…if she shows up there." Derek said.

"She will. She has everything she needs to send us to jail and do you think she won't give it to her nephew, Sherlock Holmes?" Rogers agonized.

"No, she will not." Derek insisted. "She has a secret she is keeping from Ironside. She will do anything to keep him from knowing. No, she is going to use that ledger to try for a trade."

"Do you mind telling me what you have on her?"

After explaining what he knew Derek said, "We simply agree to the trade. When she shows up to make it, we kill her. Then we get the hell out of dodge and set up shop elsewhere because Ironside will come after us."

"Get some help," Hank said. "Watch her house and Ironside's building. Be careful. If she goes to Ironside, remember that building is full of cops. You will have to get her before she goes in."

Both men were brought out of their conversation by the sound of a slamming vehicle door. Derek got up and went into the outer office. Keeping himself concealed, he looked out the window. Chief Robert T. Ironside was being lowered to the ground on the lift of his van. "IRONSIDE. We have to get out of here now."

Rogers and Wagner hurried toward the back door. "Is the front door locked?" Rogers asked.

"No and we don't have time to bother with it." They hurried out the back door locking it as they left.

xxxxx

Sgt. Ed Brown opened the door to the Coleman Detective agency as Mark Sanger wheeled Chief Robert Ironside through the door. Ironside looked around. There did not appear to be anyone around. He motioned to Ed to check the office just beyond the receptionist desk. Ed wasted no time following his boss's directives. He called out but received no answer. He turned back and informed his boss, "There is no one back there, chief."

"Ed, check out back and Ed, draw your service revolver," Ironside ordered.

Brown pulled out his gun and moved toward the back door. He unlocked the door and opened it. Looking both ways, he gently pushed the door opened and went out. Just as he stepped into the alley, a car roared directly at him. Ed dove headfirst back in to the office from which he had just left. He jumped to his feet, went back through the door and fired at the vehicle's tires as it squealed out of the alley.

Ironside called out. "Ed, get to the van. Radio any police in the area. Give them a description of that vehicle. Find him! Go, NOW!" Sgt. Brown raced out the front door toward the van.

Ironside watched his sergeant leave the building when something shinny on the receptionist desk caught his eye. He wheeled over to the desk. A woman's makeup compact was sitting next to the computer monitor. Ironside picked it up. He ran his fingers over the initials '_VI'. _

Mark had joined him at the desk. He removed the compact from Ironside's fingers. "VI…Victoria Ironside. Well it looks like Eve found the right employment agency."

"I bought her this compact for her birthday," Ironside said as he took in back from Mark and put it his suit coat pocket. He rolled over to the computer and started typing. After a few minutes, he pulled up an account…..Justin Hiriam. He looked at the picture of the boy. It was clearly a picture of little Tommy Gavin. Ironside took note of the people who had adopted him.

Mark stood behind his boss reading over his shoulder. "Chief, you don't suppose the kids that we know to be missing might have been adopted out through this organization, do you?"

"That is exactly what I was about to check." He turned his head toward his aide. "We will make a detective out of you yet." Ironside keyed into the computer the name of Tracey Palmateer, Caden Hines, and Amy Adams. He reached for a phone. He called his office. "Eve, get a court order to search the Coleman Adoption Agency. Call Judge Herman Thatcher. He will give us the search warrant." He went on to explain what he had found regarding Tommy Gavin and the other three children.

"I will get right on it. Oh chief, Carl Reese is on his way over to you right now. He did not explain why it was so urgent to see you," Eve said.

"Thanks Eve. As soon as you have that search warrant get a team over here right away." Ironside hung up the phone.

Mark was reading records on the computer. "Chief, there is no way any adoption agency places this many kids. They must be abducting them and then basically selling them."

"Mark, let's leave this until Eve has those search warrants. Go check on Ed."

Sanger headed out the door.

xxxxx

Victoria Ironside watched as Eve Whitfield left police headquarters. She had seen Robert leave with Sgt. Brown and Mark Sanger earlier. Victoria decided to chance it. There should be no one left in Robert's office. She went into the building and entered the elevator that would take her to her nephew's office. Riding the elevator to the fourth floor, she prayed she would not run into anyone that would recognize her.

The elevator door opened and Victoria stepped out into the hall. She continued up the ramp to her nephew's office. Hopefully no one locked the door to Ironside's office. She tried the nob, opened the door and entered quietly. "Robert!" She called out. No one answered. Victoria entered the office and came down the ramp. She noticed coffee cups sitting on the table. No wonder Robert could not sleep at night, he drank a ridiculous amount of coffee. She never had been able to get him to change to tea as she had been drinking for years.

Victoria stood there looking around. Where could she hide the ledger? She had to find a spot that Robert would not look for it. She began searching around the main room of Robert's office/residence looking for a safe place it would not be found until she was ready to bring Robert into her investigation. She was very careful not to touch or move anything. Robert's keen eye would certainly pick up on anything of that nature. What about the rest of his staff? She did not want them to find it before she was able to solve her problem.

Victoria spotted some duct tape sitting on Robert's desk. She walked over and studied its position on his desk. She must be sure it was returned exactly to the same position if she moved it. Finally, she picked it up. She moved one of the chairs at the main table out of the way. Victoria got down on her hands and knees and crawled under the table with the duct tape and ledger in hand. When she reached the middle, she reached up, held the ledger against the bottom of the table and began taping it in place. When the deed was down, Victoria crawled out from underneath the table and got up. She set the tape on the table and returned the chair to its previous position.

The door to Ironside's office opened and Officer Fran Belding walked in. "Is Chief Ironside around?"

"No, I was going to wait for him but it doesn't look like he is going to return right away and I have another engagement to attend. I must be going," Victoria grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

"Who shall I say was here?" Fran asked.

"Mrs. Williams from the Woman's League," Victoria made up on the spot.

"Well, good day Mrs. Williams.

Victoria resisted her desire to run from the office. She walked calmly to the door and left. Pressing the button for the ground floor, Victoria got in and rode the elevator down. She looked down and away from every officer she passed on the way out of the building. Relieved she was done with that nerve-wracking chore she hurried out the front door. She looked down the street where she had parked the car and headed in its direction.

Suddenly, someone came up behind her and shoved an object in her side. "Just keep walking, Miss Ironside. If you attempt to get away or scream, I WILL kill you. I have nothing to lose. NOW MOVE!" Derek told her.

Seeing no other option at the moment, Victoria obeyed her abductor. She only regretted she had been unable to help the other children. It had been a mistake not trusting Robert to come into this case. Maybe he would have understood her secret. He would probably find out anyway. After all, he was San Francisco's finest detective. Even then, he would probably not find out in time. She had been careful not to leave him any clue that she had left the ledger. Her only chance was the policewoman that came into the office.

Her life was in Robert's hands now. She prayed he found her before it was too late.

xxxxx

I apologize for the long delay in posting this chapter. My elderly mother was in the hospital and then a rehab center for a month. Then I stepped down on my foot wrong, rolled the ankle and tore the ligaments all to smithereens. I have been off work for two weeks with a lot of pain trying to figure out how to operate crutches and carry things at the same time…..without much success I might add. Then on May 1st, I got a call from my niece telling me her mother had found my nephew dead in his home. I was very close to him. The last few days have been very painful both physically and mentally. I will try to get back on schedule. For those of you reading "Brothers in Arms", I am working on the next chapter now.

Kaleen1212


	7. Chapter 7

**Victoria's Secret**

**Chapter 07**

Lt. Carl Reese entered the Coleman Adoption agency. He spotted Mark and headed his way. "Hi Mark. Where's the chief?"

Mark raised his chin in the direction of the office, "In there."

"Thanks." Carl flashed his badge and walked pass the police officers into Hank Roger's office. "Hi, chief."

"Carl," Ironside responded. "What have you got for me?"

"A dead body, we just fished out of the bay. Chief, this guy fits the description of one of the two men you are looking for." Carl pulled several photographs out of a manila jacket and set them down in front of Ironside.

Chief Ironside starred at the photo. "This is one of men we are looking for. He matches the police sketch. "Did he have any identification on him?"

"No. No driver's license or credit cards, if that is what you mean. He was stripped of any identification. However, he did have a pocket knife with the initials, _**HW**_ on the handle," he said.

"Harry. One of the men we were looking for was Harry. So his last name starts with a _**W**_**. **Carl, check with missing persons. Find out if anyone is looking for this young man. Start showing his picture around to the families of those abducted kids. Find out if any of them have had dealing with this man. If so I want to know if he was possibly an unwilling participant. It would help explain why he ended up in the bay."

"Show the sketch of Harry W to Tommy Gavin. Find out if he was one of the men who took him from his home."

Carl headed out the door after giving Ironside the file on Harry W.

Mark Sanger and Sgt. Ed Brown re-entered the Adoption agency.

Ed found their boss in Rogers' office. "Sorry chief. There was no sign of the blue sudan after it left here."

"Patrol cars were not able to pick up the car either?" Ironside asked.

"No. The car was not spotted by any of our people," Ed answered.

"Alright Ed. Put an APB out on Hank Rogers. I want him picked up yesterday," Ironside ordered his sergeant.

Ed picked up the phone and called police headquarters. After he was finished with the APB he sat down at the desk. Ed started opening the desk drawers. "Was this desk searched?"

"Not yet Ed. I have been checking the files on the computer. None of the missing kids are in there...at least not by their real names. There are pictures in each of their files. If they are in here we should be able to locate them by their pictures."

Ed checked the contents of each one of the drawers. When he got to the middle drawer he noticed the name Ironside on a piece of paper. Ed removed it from the drawer.

Ironside noticed the concerned look on Brown's face. "What is it Ed"

Sgt. Brown handed the paper to him while watching his boss's face. "We will find her, chief."

Ironside had no doubt of that. It was the condition she would be in that worried him. "Ed find the Hiriam's address in that computer. You should be able to locate it in the file under Justin Hiriam. Then we will pay them a visit."

The door opened. Officers Eve Whitfield and Fran Belding walked in. "Where do you want us to start, chief?" Eve asked

Did you bring the files on those missing kids?" Ironside asked.

"Right here chief." Fran dropped the files on the desk.

"Find out if those missing kids were placed in adoptive homes through this office. I want to know who has them and where they are."

"Chief, before we start I think we have the last name of Harry and Derek," Eve informed her boss.

Ironside turned his head toward his policewoman. "What are you talking about Eve?" Ironside demanded.

"When I called headquarters with the name of the adoption agency I did not give them all of the information I found out. I wanted to wait to see you. The woman that runs the employment agency is Carolyn Winters. She said she knows you. She was quite talkative about you in fact," Eve said smiling watching for a reaction from the poker faced detective.

"Officer Whitfield, are you going to tell me what you found out or talk about office gossip?" Ironside growled in an attempt to sidetract Eve from talking about a part of his past.

Eve decided to drop the subject for now but would address the chief later about it. Her curiousity had been aroused. "Your aunt got a job at the Coleman Adoption Agency under the name of Wilma Irving. One of the employees recognized her as you aunt so her name was changed in the computer to Victoria Ironside."

"Chief, the employed claimed at first not to know the name of the adoption agency but when Carolynn told her I was a police officer she suddenly said she knew the name and in a rather of fact manner. She claimed another employee was the one who told her who you aunt really was."

"Claimed?" Ironside questioned.

"After she left Carolyn's office she disappeared. She did not come back to work," Eve reported.

"Did you you question the other employee?" Ironside asked

"Yes. Her name is Melissa Jones. She told me she had never met your aunt and would not know her if she saw her.

"Then the other woman lied. What was her name?" Ironside inquired.

"Sherry Sampson. We are trying to track her down now. There might be an explanation for her disappeance. Melissa Jones told me Sherry was seeing a young man, medium height with blond hair."

Ironside perked up. "She gave you a name didn't she?"

"Derek Wagner. I talked to Carl. He is putting out an APB on him," Eve informed Chief Ironside.

"Ed! Mark! Let's go. Eve you and Fran stay here and find out if those missing kids were adopted out of here," Ironside shouted. "We are going to see the Hiriams. Ed, do you have that address yet?"

"Right here, chief." Ed handed Ironside a piece of paper. Ironside started for the door with Ed and Mark right behind him.

xxxxx

Derek Wagner pulled up in front of the shelter. "Get out and don't try anything. You do not mean a thing to me so I will not hesitate to kill you."

Victoria Ironside did not doubt that Wagner meant every word of what he said. She got out of the vehicle and walked toward the shelter. She knew this man was not the brains of the operation. He simply took orders. Victoria was sure this meeting was with Hank Rogers.

Victoria entered the shelter. She spotted two guards in the hall. Derek Wagner led her past several door. She noticed a door on her left. When she walked by it she peaked into the room. A woman was bending over someone. Victoria looked beyond her and could see three little children hovered together sitting on a cot. All three of them were crying. He heart went out to them. They were scared and probably homesick. All she could think of was what kind of monsters was she dealing with? Who would take these poor children out of their homes and litterly sell them to the highest bidder.

She had failed. She had only helped one child, little Tommy Gavin, find his way back to his parents. She was regretting as the minutes ticked by that she had not turned over what she knew to Robert. If she got out of this alive, she was going to honor Robert's wishes and stop investigating crimes. She just hoped she had a chance to tell Robert of her decision.

Derek led her to a room with a combination lock. He punched four numbers into the lock and opened the door. He motioned for her to enter the room before him. Victoria obliged him and entered the room. Sitting behind the desk was Hank Rogers. Derek pushed Victoria from behind. She took a couple steps forward.

Rogers looked up from the paperwork in front of him. "Hello, Wilma…..or should I call you Victoria? Victoria Ironside isn't it?"

She said nothing as she waiting to find out what Rogers intended to do with her. She had not liked this man from the moment she met him. She knew exactly what he was after. Victoria knew her only chance of staying alive was keeping it from him. Hiding it in Robert's office had turned out to be a brilliant idea. It was safe. There was no way they would be able to get that journal from him.

"Yes, my name is Victoria Ironside," she said proudly.

"And your nephew is Chief Robert T. Ironside? Hank asked already knowing the answer to his question.

"That is correct," she answered him.

You are not as good of a detective as he is, are you?" He taunted her.

Victoria did not reply. The answer to that question was obvious. If she were as good as Robert was she would not find herself in the position she was in.

"You took something from my desk and I want it back. Now we can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. It is entirely up to you. I want you to know it does not make one damn bit of difference to me who you are related to. I will kill you if I do not get what I want. And then I will kill Robert Ironside." Rogers stood up and came around to the front of the desk.

"Huh….do you know how many times thugs like you have tried to kill Robert. I assure you it will not be as easy as you seem to think. It has been tried many times. Robert is fine and those that have tried are either dead or behind bars. Which category would you like to join?" Victoria asked.

"She has quite the smart mouth on her, doesn't she?" Derek observed with a grin.

"It seems to run in the family. Have you ever met Ironside, himself?" Rogers asked.

"No and I have no intentions of ever having the displeasure," Derek replied.

"You obviously mean Robert's displeasure," Victoria said looking at Derek.

Rogers chuckled when he saw the look on Wagner's face. When Wagner raised his hand to backhand Victoria, Rogers stood between them. "Not yet. You'll get your chance if she doesn't cooperate."

"Enough of this small talk. Where is it, Miss Ironside?" Rogers asked.

"Whatever are you talking about," she asked feigning innocence.

"Do not try my patience. I do not have any. I want that journal. However, being the nice guy that I am, I am willing to trade you for it. You see, I have something you want." Rogers reached behind him and picked up the file he had been reading and handed it to Victoria Ironside.

Victoria took the file from Rogers. She stood there for a moment and then opened the file. It was the information she did not want Robert to see or know about.

"You have been keeping a dirty little secret all these years, haven't you? One you do not want Ironside to know about. But I will tell you what…if you give me back my journal I will let you have that file. Before you ask, it is the only copy of that file. Once you walk out of here with it, Ironside will never learn what a low life his aunt really is," Rogers said.

"What assurance do I have from you that I will be left alone after the trade is made?" Victoria inquired.

"I only want that journal and I will be out of here," Rogers said.

"That is not much assurance," Victoria pointed out.

"It is all you are going to get. I would suggest you think hard on it Miss Ironside. Derek here would like nothing better than to kill you. The only thing standing between you and him is me," Rogers threatened.

"You consider this Mr Rogers. If anything happens to me, your journal will be in the hands of my nephew. Robert will not take kindly to the murder of his only living relative. He will come after the two of you with a vengence. He won't stop until he puts you behind bars. As far as your blackmail, I should have told Robert from the beginning. I have a feeling he would have been far more understanding then I have given him credit for. So do what you want with that infornation." Victoria countered.

Rogers's anger began to rise. "You are in no position to threaten me. From what I have read your nephew has a half brother, a lawyer who lives in Los Angeles. He might not miss you at all. I will give you some time to think about it. Derek, put Miss Ironside in one of brat's rooms. I suggest you do some thinking. This can only end badly for you if you do not cooperate with us."

xxxxx

Mark pulled the van to the curb in front of the Hiriam home. Ed jumped out of the van from the front passenger seat. Mark got out to meet Chief Ironside on the other side.

Ironside had been lowered to the ground in the lift by the time Mark reached him. He moved behind his boss and started pushing his chair toward the house. Ed led the way to the front door. When he arrived he reached out and rang the doorbell.

Joyce Hiriam opened the door. She starred at the man in the wheel chair. Panick began to rise as she had seen him in the newspapers and on television many times over the years. "May I help you?"

"Mrs. Hiriam?" Ironside asked.

"That is correct," she answered.

"My name is Robert Ironside," he said as he pulled out his badge. "We are with the San Francisco Police Department. This is Sgt. Brown and Mr. Sanger. We would like to ask you some questions."

Joyce Hiriam did not want to talk to this man but could see no way out of her current situation. "Come in," she said.

Mark pushed Ironside through the door as Ed followed them in. She led them into the living room where David Hiriam was watching television. Hiriam grabbed the remote comtrol and muted the sound. "Chief Ironside, what are you doing here?"

"I would like to talk to you about Justin Hiriam." Ironside watched both Hiriams. Joyce Hiriam was noticeably very nervous while her husband, David showed no outwardly signs anything was bothering him.

"What about him?" David Hiriam asked as if he had no idea what Ironside was talking about.

"The boy's real name is Tommy Gavin. He was kidnapped from his parent's home. You adopted the boy..."

"Now just a minute. We did not adopt anyone. We were asked to become foster parents for the boy until the agency was able to place the child." David stood in front of Chief Ironside. He bent slightly over the wheel chair bound detective as if to try to intimate him. He took a step back as those steely blue eyes bored into him.

"Mr. Hiriam. We got a search warrant for the Coleman Adoption Agency. At this moment my people are checking their computers. That is how we got your address. I am only going to tell you this just one time. There are small children out there who have been kidnapped and sold to so called adoptive homes. They are scared and their parents are frantic. You are going to cooperate with the police and help us nail these people or I am going to bring charges against you for knowingly paying money for a kidnapped child." Ironside was in no mood to tolerate anything but complete cooperation.

Joyce Hiriam began crying. "We only wanted a child. No one would help us until we found the Coleman Adoption Agency. "

"SHUT UP JOYCE" screamed David. "We are not talking to you, Ironside. I want to talk to a lawyer."

"Alright then, Ed book them on accessory to kidnapping," Ironside ordered.

As Sgt. Brown stepped forward Joyce screamed, "No! I will cooperate with Chief Ironside!

"Joyce, just shut up. We will get a lawyer." David stepped toward his wife. He grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me! I told you there was something wrong with this entire arrangement. I never should have listened to you. I am going to tell Chief Ironside what I know," she shouted.

"You are not going to say anything."

Ironside wheeled his chair toward the battling couple. "Ed! Get him out of here!

Ed subdued David Hiriam. After cuffing him, he led the man out of the house.

Gently Ironside took Joyce Hiriam's hand and led her to the couch. Ater she was seated he gave her a moment to compose herself. "Mrs. Hiriam, I am trying to find several kids and return them to their parents. You know now that the boy you received was kidknapped and placed with you. I need for you to tell me what transpired."

"We can not have children. I just wanted a child." She tried to control herslf but was unable to stop sobbing. Chief Ironside reached into his suit coat and withdrew a hankerchief. He held it out for Joyce Hiriam. After taking it from him she continued. "David came home one day and said he found an adoption agency that would allow us to adopt despite his record. You see he went to prison for abusing his son from a previous marriage. He was very gentle with Justin. David said he was set up by the Los Angeles police."

Ironside took a hold of her hand. "Mrs. Hiriam, how much did you husband pay to adopt Tommy Gavin?" Ironside purposely used the boys real name to force Joyce Hiriam to face the fact the boy she accepted as her adopted son was really a kidnapped boy sold to her husband.

"Chief, I honestly did not know what was going on until that woman came and took Justin...I mean Tommy. My husband would not call the police. I knew then something was terribly wrong. He admitted he paid Mr. Rogers fifty thousand dollars to adopt him. He called him instead of the police. Mr Rogers promised to bring Justin back. I did not know he was kidnapped. Please believe me." She began crying again.

Ironside patted her arm. "I believe you. However, I have no choice but to arrest you husband."

"I understand. I cannot forgive him for what he has done. Please tell the Gavins how sorry I am. I did not want to cause them pain"

"Lets go Mark" He turned back to Joyce Hiriam and said, "we will be in touch.

xxxxx

Victoria sat on the cot with the children. She was starring at the window. It did not look like it was that secure. She continued to study the window. Victoria was positive she could get the window open. Then she could at least take these three children and get to a phone to contact Robert. He would be able to help the others.

She would wait until everyone was asleep and then she would get out of this prison. She had to get to Robert. He was the only one that could help her.

xxxxx

Derek Wagner sat down at the front of Hank Rogers desk. "I do not think the old lady will come through. She is confident Ironside can take care of himself and now she does not care if he finds out his secret. We have to get that journal back. It goes back more than fifty years. Do you realize the number of people that would be exposed if Ironside gets his hands on that journal?"

"Now you are worried about Ironside? What happened to the man is a cripple? Did Harry not tell you not to mess with the man? We are on the verge of complete ruin and now you are worried about a man who was nothing more than a cripple just a while ago. This is your fault. You should not have involved Ironside's aunt," Rogers complained.

"I should not have involved her? You hired her. You gave her access to our files and you blame me? Derek looked at Rogers in disgust. "I think we better stop the blame game and find a way out of this mess."

"We finally agree on something. Let the old lady sleep on it. If she is not ready to talk tomorrow, you find out where that journal ledger is. I don't care how you do it, just do it." Rogers got up to leave.

"I will have to ruff up the old lady," Derek said.

"I don't care if you have to beat her to death. Get that journal back or we are going to jail," Rogers said angrily.

"The information on the computers alone could send us to jail. If Ironside gets his hands on that journal we will be lucky to stay alive when some of the people in it start being question or arrested by the police," Derek said just as angrily.

"They are not going to get anything from those computers to use as evidence. The computers have a protective device inside them. If they were to get into the wrong hands, everything on the hard drive could be destroyed by remote control. I did that just before you came in. Ironside will have no evidence to use from those computers. The computers are not the problem. That journal is. Force the old bat to tell you where it is and do it fast before Ironside gets it." Rogers left the office.

Derek thought about the old woman. She had caused them a lot of trouble. He would wait until morning as he was instructed to do but he would find out where that journal was. Victoria Ironside was going to find out what pain was. She would talk. After she did he would kill her and dispose of her body. It was time to get out of this city. He wanted to put some distance between him and Ironside, especially after he killed his aunt.


	8. Chapter 8

**Victoria Secret**

**Chapter 08**

Officer Fran Belding was reading a file on the computer in Hank Roger's office when it went black. Fran hit the power button to shut it down to reboot the system. While she was waiting, Officer Eve Whitfield entered the office.

"Fran, my computer went dead a few minutes ago. I tried rebooting but the screen just stays black. We are going to have to use yours," Eve informed her.

Fran's computer immediately went blank when it came back up. "I don't think so. This one has done the same thing. I do not envy you that is for sure," Fran said as she got up.

"And why is that?" Eve asked.

"You will have to be the one to tell the chief. He does not like bad news."

Eve sighed. "This one is personal for him. First, the Gavin boy comes up missing. The chief has known the Gavins a long time. He felt an obligation to them. Then the child is found and returned by Victoria Ironside. He is terribly worried about his aunt. He cannot reach her and we know she has been nosing into Hank Rogers activities. Now with Harry showing up dead in the bay, he is even more worried. Actually, his mood has not been that bad under the circumstances. He can be a bear when things are not being solved fast even for him."

"Eve, I have wanted to ask this for a long time so I guess now is as good a time as any. What happened with the chief and Barbara? Everyone thought they would be together by now," Fran asked.

Knowing how the chief guarded his privacy Eve pondered how to answer. "Barbara needed some time to deal with the divorce and to tell her girls. She will be back."

"For the chief's sake, I hope she makes it soon. My father worked with him early in their careers. I saw Chief Ironside often then. He was pretty devastated when he lost his wife. It would be nice to see him with someone again." Fran starred off.

Silence prevailed for a couple minutes before Eve stood up. "The chief is going to want these computers gone over by an expert." Eve instructed one of the officers to bring them back to headquarters. "Thanks for your help Fran. You can call it a night. Leave your notes and print outs with me."

"Tell the chief if he needs anymore help to give me a call." Fran handed her paperwork to Eve, then turned and left.

"Believe me if he does, you will hear from him." Eve said as she watched Eve leave.

xxxxx

As soon as Mark, Ed and their boss arrived back at the office the phone rang in Chief Robert T. Ironside's office. Mark reached for the receiver and announced, "Chief Ironside's office." After listening for a minute he said, "Just a moment please." He turned to Ironside who was sitting at his desk. "Chief, Sgt. Conniff from downstairs said there are three elderly ladies insisting on seeing you. They want to know if you want him to send them away."

Ironside grabbed the phone, "Smitty, send those ladies up here right now." He slammed the phone down and wheeled over to the table. "Mark, would you get me a cup of coffee please?"

Mark headed for the kitchen and put a pot of coffee on to brew. There was a knock on door. Sgt. Brown walked up the ramp and opened the door. Gladys Prescott, Agnes Fairchild and Bessie Montague came into the office. Ed led them down the ramp and over to Chief Ironside. The three looked like scared children facing an angry father. They stopped in front of Ironside, looking at one another as if they were trying to decide who would be the spokesman for their little group. He did not give them the time they needed to do so.

"How many times have I told you ladies to stay of out police business?" Ironside began in a very stern voice.

Agnes interrupted him. "Robert…."

"Chief Ironside," He gruffly corrected her.

Agnes gave him an indignant look but repeated, "Chief Ironside, we are worried about Victoria. She did not come back home tonight. We are afraid something might have happened to her."

"I would like you to sit down please. We are going to start from the beginning and you are going to tell me everything you know. Is that clear?" Ironside growled.

Gladys, Agnes and Bessie took seats at the worktable. Mark re-enter the room with a coffee pot and mugs. He poured a cup of coffee and set it in front of his boss. He then poured and placed coffee in front of Gladys and Bessie but when he set a cup in front of Gladys she said, "I prefer tea, young man." Ironside raised his eyebrows and starred at Gladys menacingly. She immediately responded in a near whisper, "But coffee will be just fine."

"Now ladies, talk to me," Ironside ordered. "Just exactly have you been up to?"

The TBAC looked at one another and Agnes spoke up. "Victoria called us together. She had been following the missing children cases that were reported in the newspaper. She knew that Commissioner….Commissioner…what is his name?"

"His name is Commissioner Dennis Candle," Bessie said.

Gladys shook her head. "It is not. It's Dennis Randolph"

"No, I don't think that is correct either," Agnes disagreed. All three of them began talking and arguing with one another over the commissioner's name.

Chief Ironside closed his eyes and rubbed his temples as he listened to the women argue. He slammed his fist down on the table, raised his voice to a near shout and cried, "RANDALL"

All three of the TABC members were startled and jumped at the slamming of Ironside's fist. "Commissioner Randall," Agnes repeated quietly. "Victoria knew Commissioner….Randall," she said meekly watching Ironside to be sure she had not upset him further, "had assigned the cases to you. She decided to help you. She got a job at the Coleman Adoption Agency."

"Victoria," interrupted Bessie, "found out that Tommy Gavin had been kidnapped and adopted out to the Kiriam family."

"No, that was not their name," Gladys said. "It was Siriam."

"It was not Siriam. It was …" Agnes started to say.

"HIRIAM," Ironside raised his voice again stopping the ladies from further disagreement.

"Yes, that was their name. How did you know that?" Agnes asked.

"I am a police detective," Ironside said.

"Yes well anyway, we all went to the Hiriam's house and while Victoria went in and kept Mrs. Hiriam busy we went into the back yard and took Tommy," Agnes smiled proudly. "Victoria then dropped Tommy off here giving him instructions to ask for you."

"She was supposed to get names of more children and the plan was to be the same." Bessie told Ironside.

"But something must have happened Chief Ironside. She went to work this morning and we never heard from her. She did not come home," Gladys said, clearly upset.

"I have had all of your homes under surveillance. None of you have been home in the past twenty four hours so exactly where has home been since the day before yesterday?" Ironside asked.

"Mildred Busha is on vacation. Victoria had agreed to keep an eye on her house. You know how criminals like to break into empty houses and you can't depend on the police …" Agnes voice trailed off, looking timidly at Ironside.

"Have any of you seen either of these two men?" Ironside asked showing them the sketches of Harry and Derek Wagner.

"Victoria said she was threatened by two blonde men. We have not seen them but these could be the men she was afraid of." Agnes said.

"She said their names were Harry and Derek Wagner. She was more scared of Harry then Derek," Bessie said.

"No, it was Derek she was scared of," Gladys argued.

"Gladys is right. It was Derek," Agnes said.

"It was not, it was Harry!" Bessie insisted. "It was not Derek."

"LADIES!" Ironside shook his head. He could feel the start of a headache coming on. "What was it that Derek or….. Harry," he looked at Bessie, "was threatening her with?"

All three of them looked away from Ironside at the same time. "Don't know," Agnes said quickly.

"Nope, she never told us," Bessie added.

Ironside looked over at Gladys. When she noticed he was staring at her she said sheepishly, "I don't have a clue."

"I am only going to say this one time. Victoria's life may depend on what you tell me here today. I want to know what Wagner was threatening her with." Ironside stared at them with steely blue eyes.

All three of them looked away from those piercing eyes and it was Bessie finally broke their silence. "We are telling you the truth when we tell you we don't know what it was. We only know that Harry…."

"Derek!" corrected Agnes.

"No, I am sure it was Harry," Bessie said.

"LADIES!" Ironside shouted. "Just refer to him as Wagner."

Bessie nodded as she shrank away from the gruff detective. "Wagner….." she said, "was blackmailing her. She has some secret that she has been keeping for fifty years and for some reason that secret is why she got involved in this case."

"Is there anything else you can tell me that could help me find her?" Ironside asked.

The Tuesday Afternoon Bridge Club looked back and forth at one another and came to agreement. "Only that she was driving Mildred's station wagon. Here is the license plate number," Agnes said pulling a piece of paper out of her purse and handing it to Ironside.

"Chief Ironside, we can help you with this case," Bessie said. We know where the Coleman Adoption Agency is. We will keep an eye on the Wagner brothers and report back to you."

"That is an excellent idea," Gladys exclaimed. "Why we can help get the other children out of those homes they have been placed in."

"I think we should concentrate on finding Victoria," Agnes said. "We owe it to her to find her.

Ironside looked from one bridge club member to another. His headache had settled in and was pounding away at his temples. "You ladies will do no such thing. This is a police matter. I will handle it. Is that clear? You are to go home and do nothing. My staff and I will find Victoria and we will take care of the Coleman Adoption agency."

Bessie, Gladys and Agnes again looked back and forth between each other. Agnes spoke up, "Whatever you say Chief Ironside." She looked at her fellow bridge club members with a twinkle in her eye.

Robert Ironside could read people better than just about anyone and it was clear to him they had no intention of going home and staying there. No, they were going to continue to meddle and cause him further headaches. He made a quick decision. He picked up the phone and dialed. "Walter, send me up a couple police officers please." He hung up the phone. "Ed!"

"Right here chief," Ed said from behind him.

"Stay right there. Don't go anywhere."

A few minutes later two policemen entered the office. "Since you ladies have no intentions of following my instructions I have no choice but to put you under house arrest as material witnesses. These officers are going to take you back to Mildred's house and you are going to remain there until further notice. "Is that clear?"

"Arrest! But you can't do that, Chief Ironside. We have to find Victoria," Agnes cried.

"I have never been arrested in my life," Bessie said. She directed her attention back to Ironside and said, "You should be arresting Harry. He was the one that was blackmailing Victoria."

"How many times do I have to tell you? It was Derek that was blackmailing her," Gladys corrected.

"Ed! Ironside shouted in expiration.

It was times like these Chief Ironside did not have to tell his sergeant what he wanted. Ed just knew. "Ladies, please follow me." He motioned for the officers to help him escort the bridge club members out of Chief Ironside's office.

After they left Mark walked over to a cabinet in the kitchen and pulled out a bottle of bourbon and a glass. He reached into another cabinet and brought down a small bottle. When he arrived back at the table, he poured a glass of bourbon and set it down in front of his boss. Without looking at Mark, Ironside put out his hand. Mark placed two aspirin in his palm. Ironside placed the aspirin in his mouth and washed them down with a swallow of bourbon.

xxxxx

Lt. Carl Reese removed his cell phone from his pocket and call Ironside's office.

"Chief Ironside's office," Mark answered.

"Mark, let me talk to the chief," Carl requested.

Moments later Ironside's gruff voice said, "Yes, Carl."

"Chief, I checked missing persons. No one is looking for Harry. I got your message after that, not to bother checking with the parents regarding him. Ed said you found out who Harry and Derek are. So I decide to do some checking on Sherry Sampson who disappeared from the employment agency, since you put out an APB on her. I dropped by the agency and got her address. I staked it out for a while and she tried to slip in the back door. Chief, I am bringing her in as a material witness."

"Good work, Carl. Bring her directly to my office," Ironside barked and hung up the phone.

xxxxx

Victoria sat on the cot with Tracy Palmateer, Amy Adams and Caden Hines. The three children were scared and had been crying off and on since Victoria had been locked in this room by Derek Wagner. She had spent most of the time trying to pry one of the windows open. Victoria had thought earlier she would not have any trouble but she had been mistaken. She did not know what the window was sealed with but it had held even after she had used all of her strength trying to force it open. She tried every window in the room but that too had failed. She even make a desperate attempt to break them and found out they were not glass but some kind of heavy plastic.

Victoria did not scare easily. After all, she was an Ironside. She had spent the better part of the last hour accessing her situation and she was worried. She did not see any way out of her current dilemma. What was taking Robert so long to find the journal? The computers would have told him it existed. Once he did not find it in the Agency, he should have figured out that she had taken it. That dark haired officer would have told him that she had been in his office. Why had he not come to investigate this place? Robert should have been here by now. The only answer was something must have happened to those computers and the dark haired officer failed to tell her nephew about her visit.

Victoria knew she did not have much time. By morning, she was going to have to come up with some way to deal with these men. She could not tell them she had hidden the journal in Robert's office. If she did, they would know they were not going to get it back. They would have no further use for her. She knew entirely too much for them to let her go. That could mean only one thing. Victoria shut her eyes. She could not think of that now. She had to keep a clear head. Robert would figure it all out. He always did. After all, he was not known as a modern day Sherlock Holmes for nothing. Yes, she knew he would figure it all out. What she did not know was would he figure it out in time?

xxxxx

Carl entered Ironside's office with Sherry Sampson. Taking her by the arm, he led her down the ramp and directly over to Ironside. "Ms. Sampson, this is Chief Robert Ironside."

Sherry Sampson had read much about this man. She knew that Harry had been scared of him and from what she had read, with good reason. He had a reputation as a man who was like a terrier with a bone. He did not stop until he got what he wanted. He had arrested and put more people behind bars than any other police detective in the history of the department. Sherry just stood there waiting for him to say something. When he did, she was surprised at his demeanor.

Ironside pulled out a chair and in a soft voice said, "Sit down, Ms. Sampson." He waited for her to do as he asked. "Ms. Sampson, what you say here tonight will determine just how much trouble you are in."

"Trouble? I have not done anything." Sherry looked into Ironside's eyes but quickly looked away from that blue piercing glare.

"You know a man named Derek Wagner, do you not?" Ironside asked.

"Ya, so what?" She said with a bit more challenge in her voice than she actually felt.

"So the man is wanted for kidnapping and possibly murder. So, I will ask you one more time. Do you know Derek Wagner?" Ironside said keeping his voice low key.

"Alright, I know him. Is that a crime?" she said.

"No, but helping him will certainly be," Ironside answered.

"Look Chief, I have not done anything. I just panicked and ran. I dated Derek Wagner. He came into the employment agency one day looking for help to find a secretary for the Coleman Adoption or so he said. We started dating. He did not tell me much about himself. He turned out to be nasty and abusive. I stop seeing him almost immediately after we started seeing each other."

"When was the last time you saw him," Ed Brown asked.

"Just yesterday. He came in asking for a picture of the woman we sent over to the Coleman agency. I did not give it to him at first but he threatened to kill me if I did not. I believed him, Chief Ironside. He would have killed me. So I gave him the picture. But I did not tell him her real name was Victoria Ironside. I was afraid. I knew she was your aunt. I worked in a restaurant as a waitress when she came in one time. She did not like the table was seated at so she told the owner she was your aunt after she gave her name. She was placed at a better table. That is how I knew who she was. I changed her name in the computer to Victoria Ironside." Sherry was clearly upset and on the verge of tears.

Ironside's instincts told him this young lady had no idea what Derek Wagner was up to. He knew she was telling him the truth. The only thing he could be sure of was Hank Rogers now knew his aunt's identity. Wagner would have seen to that. Rogers must have hired her not knowing who she really was. Wagner had to know who she was but possibly had not seen her in the office at the agency. Something must have made him suspicious about the agency's new secretary…enough for him to do some checking up on her.

Victoria Ironside was in serious trouble. Time was running out for Ironside to find her and he knew it. He had to find out what she was hiding. Ironside was sure it would in turn lead him to the missing kids. He addressed Lt. Reese, "Carl, see to it that Ms. Sampson is escorted home and assign police protection to her until we pick up Wagner and Rogers. Ms. Sampson, we will see to it that you are safe. Please follow the instructions of my men. We will let you know when you are no longer in any danger."

"You mean I am not under arrest?" she asked.

"No. You are not but I would like you to be available in case we need further help," he told her.

"Yes sir," she said. She followed Carl Reese out of Ironside's office. On the way out Carl passed Eve who was headed in.

"What did you find on those computers, Eve?" Ironside asked.

"Not much. The computers went black. I took them to the police expert and he said they had been remotely erased and the content was lost." Eve sat down in a chair between Ed and Ironside.

"Damn it," Ironside barked. "We have to find Victoria and we better do it fast or these men will kill her. We do not have much time left. So let us go over what we have. Query…what secret is she hiding that would prompt her to take a job at an adoption agency?"

"Could she have tried to adopt a child and failed?" Mark asked.

"Not that I am aware of," Ironside said. "Why would that prompt her to seek employment at an agency?"

Mark did not have an answer to that question. Everyone remained silent for a minute.

"Come on children, think! What could she possibly be hiding that would prompt her to want to investigate an adoption agency?" Ironside demanded.

"Chief, maybe she just started checking into it because she knew you were assigned to the case," Ed offered.

"No. The TABC said she was being blackmailed. That has to tie into what she was hiding that made her seek out that job," Ironside said.

"This may be out in left field," Eve began, "but there is one possibility I can think of," Eve said.

"What do you have on your mind, Eve?" Ironside asked.

"Is it possible that she knew someone who put a child up for adoption for a price?" Eve asked.

Ironside looked at his police officer. "Or could it be possible….she put a child of her own up for adoption fifty years ago?"

"And later found out the child was sold for a price," Ed added.

"Eve, I know it is late but I want you to bring in whoever you have to and search the birth records fifty years ago and find out if Aunt Victoria ever gave birth to a child," Ironside said.

Eve got up and headed out of the office. "I will call you as soon as I know something."

The phone rang. Mark grabbed the received and answered it. "Chief, it's Carl Reese."

"Yes, Carl." Ironside said after he punched the speaker button.

"I assigned a couple cops to Sherry Sampson and had them take her home. One of the guys who check the police cameras stopped me and said your aunt was in this building today. The cameras show she entered the elevator and it stopped on your floor. Chief, it also shows that Fran Belding entered that same elevator a few minutes later and stopped on your floor as well. They had to run into each other. Your aunt came out of that elevator before Fran did."

"Carl, find Fran and get her in here immediately," Ironside ordered hanging up the phone.

"What would she have been doing in here?" Ed asked.

"She must have decided to see the chief after all," Mark said.

"But then why did she leave?" Ed questioned Mark's reasoning.

"If we are going to reach Victoria in time, we sure as hell better find out," Ironside said.

xxxxx


	9. Chapter 9

**Victoria's Secret**

**Chapter 09**

Robert Ironside looked out his favorite window. It had been two hours since Lt. Carl Reese had called in with the news Fran Belding had visited his office and could very well have run into Victoria Ironside. If he could just get a hold of Fran, she might be able to give him the answers he sought.

Ironside heard the creaking of Mark's bedroom door. It was not uncommon for Mark to join the chief while he looked out over the city of San Francisco. As he did many times before, he sat trying to clear his head. Only this time it included a member of his own family that he was worried about. He knew Aunt Victoria did not intend to get in trouble, but Ironside also knew if the TABC continued to investigate police matters, one of them would get into serious trouble. He should have done more to stop them. Why did he allow this to go on? Obviously, his talks had had little to no effect on any of the ladies.

Mark came up behind his boss and placed a blanket around his shoulders.

"Thanks Mark," Ironside said to his aide.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?" Mark asked.

"No thanks, Mark." Ironside turned his wheel chair away from the window. "I can't understand why Carl has not located Fran and brought her to this office. She must have seen my aunt leave this here. I can't believe she did not call and tell me."

"Maybe she did not know the woman was your aunt. People go in and out of this office all the time, chief. She probably did not think anything of it. We'll know whether she talked to Fran as soon as Carl finds her but not until morning. I doubt Carl would call at this late hour."

Chief Ironside looked over at the worktable. Something was not right, he thought. He had not put that there. When he left the office,

he was sure that roll of duct tape was on his desk. It could have been moved by Ed or Eve, he supposed. He would certainly ask them when they got in in the morning. Right now though, he could eliminate one person. "Mark, did you move the duct tape from my desk to the table?" He inquired.

Mark knew he had not. Sometimes he did not understand the questions his boss asked but he learned early on he always had a reason. "No, I have had no reason to use it. Why?"

"I left that roll of duct tape on my desk." Ironside wheeled over to the table and picked up the tape.

"Chief, what difference does it make if someone moved it?" Mark asked.

"That depends entirely on WHO moved it." Ironside said.

Mark shook his head. Sometimes he just did not understand his boss. He walked over to the table and picked up the tape. As he started to take the tape back to tbe chief's desk, Ironside grabbed his hand.

"Leave it on the table," he said.

Mark set it back down. "Ok. I am going back to bed." He went back into his room and closed the door.

Ironside starred at the duct tape. He was bothered by its appearence on the table. How did it get there? He remembered asking Mark to bring it to him to repair the cord on the lamp which sat on his desk. After he taped up the cord, he placed it down on the desk. Ironside tried to remember if anyone was left in the office when he left. No, Ed and Mark went with him to the Coleman agency and Eve was at the employment agency. None of them could have moved that duct tape. Someone was in the office while he and his staff were out.

Victoria had to have been in the office. After all, he knew she had been seen entering the elevator to his floor. Ironside knew there was not anything further he could do tonight. He turned away from the window and wheeled to his bed. Just as he was about to call to Mark for help, he stopped. He had to talk to Fran Belding.

Ironside looked at the clock. It was two fifteen. He wheeled back to his desk and checked his address book for Fran's number. After dialing, he waited for an answer. The answer came in the form of voice mail. Frustrated, he left a message for Fran to call regardless of the time she came in. Conceding there was nothing further he could do at this hour; Ironside gave in and went to bed.

xxxxx

Fran Belding woke up in her girlfriend's home at five o'clock in the morning. She woke with a bit of a headache. Fran was not a big drinker. She had only had three drinks but she had developed a headache just the same. She spent the evening with her friend, Jenny Howard. It had been so long since they had gotten together so when Jenny called and asked her to go to a private party Fran jumped at the chance to forget police work and have a good time with a friend.

She and Jenny had arrived at Jenny's place at two thirty. Jenny did not want Fran driving home. She was worried that the three drinks she had would affect her ability to drive her car. Fran was too tired to put up much of a fight but now she had to get home, take a shower and go to work. She slipped out of bed, got dressed, than quietly left Jenny's house. She arrived at home thirty minutes later. Fran unlocked the door to her apartment and headed for the bathroom. On the way, she noticed the flashing light on her phone. It would have to wait. What she needed and wanted right now was a hot shower to wake up and start the day fresh.

xxxxx

Lt. Carl Reese looked at his watch. It was six o'clock. He thought about calling the chief but he was afraid he might wake him up. Chief Ironside was known for staying up late when he was in the midst of a case. Carl would give him another hour and then give him a call. In the meantime, he had plenty of work to do here in his office.

xxxxx

Hank Rogers press the code on the keyless lock on the shelter and enter the building. He headed down the hall to the office. He opened the door and found Derek already seated at his desk talking on the phone. Hank sat down across the room on the couch waiting for Derek to complete his call. A newspaper was lying on the table beside the couch. Hank picked it up. On the front page, there was a picture of Harry Wagner. Hank began reading the article. It was the a typical background article the media always printed when someone they believe was guilty of a crime and had been arrested by the police or in this case, found dead.

The article went on to say Harry Wagner was suspected to be behind a string of kidnapping of children. The author of the article did not provide any evidence in his story, only to say the children were later adopted out with the adoptive parents paying large sums to get the children. The article finished by saying Chief Robert T. Ironside had been assigned to investigate the murder of Harry Wagner and the disappearance of the children.

Hank skimmed the rest of the paper and could not find anything about the disappearance of Victoria Ironside. He found is difficult to believe Ironside had not employed some kind of pressure through the newspaper to force her captors out in the open. It was as if he did not care that she was missing. Maybe everything he had heard about the man was a myth. Maybe Ironside was not as big a deal everyone made him out to be. Hank put the paper down when he heard Derek end his call and put the receiver back in the cradle. "Have you been in to see Ironside's aunt this morning?" He asked.

"Not yet. I thought I would give her a little more time to sweat it out," Derek replied.

"What are your plans to get her to talk?" Rogers inquired.

"It is simple. I am going to give her the chance to turn over the journal. If she complies, I will then kill her and dump her body in the bay. By the time Ironside finds her, you and I will long gone. I have just made arrangements to move our operation to Orlando, Florida." Derek stood up, walked around and sat on the edge of the desk.

"And what if she doesn't comply?" Hank asked.

"Then I will convince her that giving us the journal is in her best interest," Derek answered.

"Meaning what?"

"Meaning we will see how much pain the old lady can endure? And if that doesn't change her mind, I am betting dishing out pain to one of those brats will break her," Derek said with a grin.

"You are going to beat on one of the kids?"

"Do you have a problem with that?"

Hank picked up the paper and showed the front page to Derek. "No, I don't have a problem with it. The sooner we get out of this city the better. Did you read this?"

Derek showed no interest in the paper being shoved at him. "Don't tell me you are going to start lecturing me on Ironside. I got enough of that crap from Harry."

"No, but I am curious as to why there is nothing in the paper about Ironside's missing aunt," Hank said.

"Ironside probably had the media suppress it," Derek said with a shrug.

"I have been sitting her thinking about it. At first, I thought he could not possibly be that affected by her disappearance if it was not reported. But I am not sure that is correct." Hank pushed the paper at Derek again. "Read it. There is nothing printed about the disappearance of those kids that would tie it to Harry. Yet they claim he is involved."

"So what?"

"So what if Ironside knows all about the operation?" Hank pondered.

"Just how would that be possible? You said the computers would be destroyed remotely, so how could he have found out anything?" Derek asked.

"Just maybe we need to be asking Victoria Ironside that very question." Hank said. "Do you really think that Victoria Ironside took that book from my office and then never opened it?" Hank pointed out.

Derek looked at Hank and his face turned white. "Are you saying Ironside's aunt told him about what was in that journal?"

"No, I don't think she would have told him and then not allowed him to bring her in for protection. She was still on her own. Her little secret is in that book. Even though she says she does not care if we tell him, I think she does and that is why she did not tell him what is in the journal. No, she would not tell him about the journal or give it to him for that matter." Hank stood up, walked behind his desk and sat down.

"Well are you going to tell me what the hell you are talking about because I am completely lost? If she did not tell him and she did not give it to him than he doesn't know squat," Derek said.

"Derek, you said you picked her up down the street from police headquarters, didn't you?"

"Ya, that's right. What are you getting at?"

"Did you pick her up before she went into Ironside's building or after?" Rogers asked.

"I don't know. I had just parked when I spotted her coming down the street," Derek replied.

"She was coming down the street AWAY from Ironside's building," Hank said.

"That's right. What does that have to do with any…..Are you saying she was coming out of the building?" Derek asked.

"That is exactly what I am saying."

"Well then we know she did talk to Ironside or see him. He and his cops were raiding our office at the time," Derek said.

"That doesn't mean she did not go up to Ironside's office now does it?"

Derek's mind began digesting what Hank was saying. It made perfect sense. "She hid the book in Ironside's office."

"That would be my guess." Rogers agreed.

"So how in the hell are we going to get the journal out of Ironside's office?" Derek said.

"First we are going to find out exactly where it is in his office. That we are going to get Ironside and his people out of the office and go in and get it." Hank said.

"Are you crazy? It is a police station. If we show are faces there, we will be instant residents." Derek could not believe what Hank was saying.

"We are not going in. Victoria Ironside is going in. We get Ironside out and then send her in to get it." Hank could see his plan forming in front of his eyes.

"Just exactly how do we get Ironside out of his office?" Derek asked.

"That part is easy. We call him and tell him we will return Auntie Victoria for money. We give him a drop off. He will take his people with him. While they are gone, Auntie Victoria will go in and get it. After she brings it to us, we kill her and get out of Dodge." Hank was quite pleased with himself.

"You are forgetting something. How do we get her to cooperate with your plan?" Derek asked.

"That is where you come in. You will get it the same way you were going to get her to make the trade with us with one exception. Forget roughing her up. That is a waste of time. We threaten to kill one of the brats. That will get her to cooperate," Hank said.

Derek smiled. "I like it. It could work. When do you want to do it?"

"We will make the call after nine o'clock. That way all of Ironside's people will be there. You will get over to the police station and make sure all of his people go with him. She will go in and get the journal. Then you dispose of her and we sell the three kids tomorrow. Once that is done, we quietly leave San Francisco." Hank completed his plan.

"Alright, it's a good plan. Let's go talk to Auntie Victoria," Derek said with a grin.

xxxxx

The phone rang. Fran had finished getting ready for work. She hurried over to the telephone and answered, "Hello."

"Fran, its Carl Reese. We have been trying to get a hold of you since last night. Get over to the chief's office, pronto. He wants to talk to you and you know what he is like if you keep him waiting."

"Tell the chief I am on my way. I'll be there in about fifteen minutes." Fran hung up the phone, grabbed her purse and her gun and ran out the door.

xxxxx

Ironside sat at the table. Mark had placed his breakfast on the table a half hour ago and he had not touched a thing. After two cups of coffee he was about to explode, as his staff was not showing up to work fast enough for him. It did not matter that it was seven thirty and starting time was normally nine o'clock. "Mark, did you reach both Ed and Eve to tell them to get in her right away?"

"You already asked me that twice, chief. The answer is still the same. Yes, I reached them and they both said they would be in as soon as possible. Eat your breakfast. They will be here," Mark told his boss.

"The eggs are cold and I don't even like eggs," Ironside grumbled.

"Would you rather have borscht?" Mark cracked.

Ironside frowned. "I hate that more than I hate eggs.

The door opened. Ed and Eve walked in and came down the ramp. Ed headed for the kitchen and poured two cups of coffee. He joined Eve, Mark and Chief Ironside at the table. He set down one cup in front of Eve before sitting down.

"Chief, what's happened that you brought us in early," Eve asked.

"This is an investigation," Ironside complained. We have work to do."

"Ok, what would you like us to do?" Ed said.

Ironside picked up duct tape and pitched it at Ed. "Why is this sitting on this table?"

Ed shrugged his shoulders. "I have no idea. The last time I saw it, it was sitting on your desk."

"Then you did not move it to this table? Ironside demanded.

Confused, Ed answered, "No, I did not."

"What about you Eve?" Ironside asked.

"No, I did not touch it," Eve said.

"Mark did not move it and neither did I so how did it find its way to this table?"

"Chief, I don't understand. What difference does it make? You did not get us in here early to find out why there is duct tape on the table, did you?" Eve asked disbelieving.

"That is exactly why I brought you in early," Ironside said.

Ed and Eve looked at their boss as if he had lost his mind. Mark just sat quietly. Eve figured the chief already put him through this.

"Chief, can you tell us why this is so important to you?" Ed asked.

"Query…..the duct tape was on my desk when all of us left here. How did it come to be on this table? Eve left to go to the employment agency and the rest of us were at the Coleman Adoption Agency."

Eve looked at Mark. "Don't ask me. I have no idea why that roll of tape is so important to him.

"If none of us moved it than who did?" Ironside said.

"I don't know, chief. Listen, you are not going to have us looking for missing strawberries next are you?" Mark asked.

"This is not a naval ship, Mr. Sanger and I am not Queeg," Ironside growled.

"Wait a minute," Ed said. "I think I know what the chief is getting at. If none of us moved that tape than someone had to do it."

"The chief already pointed that out," Eve said as she yawned.

"Who was seen going into the elevator that leads to this office?" Ed said.

"You have restored my faith in my staff, Sergeant. So who was seen going into the elevator that leads up here?" Ironside barked.

"Victoria Ironside," Eve said as it hit her where the chief was going with this.

Mark however, was still confused. "So what if she did move it? Why would you care?"

"The question is not what if she moved it, Mr. Sanger. The question is why did she move it?" Ironside bellowed.

"Could she have used the tape for some reason?" Ed asked.

"For what?" Eve questioned Ed.

"Think, children! What would you use duct tape for?" Ironside pushed his staff.

"To tape something," Mark said.

"Why would she tape something in here," Ed asked.

Eve was beginning to follow Ironside's thinking. "To hide something, perhaps."

"Why would she hide something in here?" Mark inquired.

"For safe keeping," Ironside answered.

"Chief, are you saying you think she brought something in here to hide? Why would she hide it from you? If she brought it here, why not leave it where you could find it easily?" Ed asked confused.

Eve understood what Ironside was getting at. "Because she wanted the chief to find it but not right away?"

Now Ed understood. "In other words whatever it was she hid, Rogers and Wagner want it too. It could be the only thing keeping her alive."

"And we need to find it and fast. So start searching," Ironside said. 

"Does anyone have any idea what we are looking for," Mark asked as he opened Ironside's desk drawer?"

"Mark, if Victoria used duct tape to hide whatever it is she hid, it will be taped to something," Ironside said gruffly.

The door opened and Fran Belding came into the room. "Good morning chief," She said cheerfully. "Carl said you wanted to talk to me."

"When you came in here earlier today, did you run into anyone?" Ironside asked.

"As a matter of fact I did. How did you know that?" Fran asked.

Ironside ignored his question. "Who was it?"

Fran thought for a moment, "I can't recall her name. She was an elderly lady, impeccably dressed with very proper speech."

Ironside wheeled his chair in to another room. When he returned, he had a picture in his lap. He handed the picture to Fran, "Is that the woman you saw?"

Fran took the picture from Ironside. After she studied it for a moment, she said, "Yes, that is she."

"Did she have anything with her?" Ed asked.

"Not that I noticed," Fran said. "What is this all about?"

Again, Ironside ignored her question. "Fran, where was she when you walked into the office?"

"She was right beside this table. She had her hand on this roll of duct tape," Fran told him.

"Then she did hide something in this room, "Eve said.

"Everyone spread out and start searching for something that has been duct taped to something in this office," Ironside shouted.

Without hesitation, Ironside's staff began searching the room. Ironside explained to Fran what had transpired before she came in.

"Chief, it did not mean anything to me when I came into the office and found her here but I wonder if it has any meaning now," Fran said.

"What are you talking about?" Ironside demanded.

"Well, when I came in she seem to be standing up," Fran said.

"You said she was by this table?" Ironside asked.

"Yes sir." Fran answered.

"Ed, come over here," Ironside barked.

Ed immediately walked back to the table. "Yes, chief."

"Check under this table," Ironside ordered.

Ed bent down and looked under the table. His face indicated he had found something. Ed crawled under the table. He pulled the duct tape off, along with the journal. After crawling back out from under the table, he handed the journal to Chief Ironside.

Everyone returned to the table as the phone rang. Eve grabbed the phone. "Chief Ironside's office." She listened for a moment and pressed the speaker button on the phone, then nodded at her boss.

"Ironside," the chief answered.

"Ironside, don't try to trace this call. I will not be on it that long. If you want to see your Aunt Victoria alive again, you will bring fifty thousand dollars in cash to Golden Gate Park at two o'clock this afternoon. There is a bench there on the west side of the park sitting between two trees. You are to leave the money under the bench. When we have gotten away, we will call you with your aunt's location," the voice said.

"Which one are you? Hank Rogers or Derek Wagner?" Ironside asked.

"There was silence on the other end of the phone and then the voice said, "Two o'clock this afternoon. Do exactly as I say or your aunt dies." The connection was broken.

"I'll call Carl and have him put plain clothed police officers all over Golden Gate Park," Ed said. "We let them pick it up and follow them.

"I'll contact Commissioner Randall for the money," Eve called out as she picked up a phone.

"Don't bother." Ironside said shaking his head. "They don't want money. They want this journal. This is the key. Something in here will tell us where they have taken Victoria and probably what kids they have kidnapped that they have not sold yet. Eve, take this journal over to the copier. Copy every page in the book. Fran, you bring the copies and pass them out to everyone. Pass out the pages as soon as she has some copied and go back for more. Remember everyone; we are looking for a place they hold those kids at until they are sold. That is where we will find Victoria as well."

The door opened and Carl Reese walked in. Ironside motion him over to the table. After explaining what they were doing, Fran started passing out copies of the journal's pages. Ironside watched as his staff began pouring though the copies.

Time had run out. Ironside knew they had to find out where those kids were kept in order to save them and his Aunt Victoria.

xxxxx


	10. Chapter 10

Victoria's Secret

Chapter 10

Rogers hung up the phone. He sat back in his chair and blew out the breath he did not even realize he had been holding.

Derek Wagner looked over at Rogers. When he saw he was as white as a ghost he asked, "What's the matter?"

"He knows. Ironside knows," was all Rogers said.

"Knows what?"

"Who we are. He asked me which one I was, Rogers or Wagner,"

Wagner remained silent for a minute and then said, "So what if he knows. We get the journal back and we get the hell out of San Francisco. We will be set up in Florida in the same manner we got set up here. Jackson is paid well for his services. It is not as if we have not moved before. Jackson can change our identities as well. Relax! As soon as we get the journal, we kill the old lady and leave."

"No! We are not killing Ironside's Aunt. He will never quit looking for us. We knock her out and dump her," Hank said.

Derek thought for a moment. "You know you may be right. Ok, we will do it your way."

"Damn right we will. Your way has us in a whole lot of trouble. You never should have involved Ironside's aunt," Hank complained. "You just do not mess with Ironside."

"What is it with this fear of Ironside? He is just a crippled cop. He is no big deal." Derek shook his head, exasperated.

"A crippled cop who has brought down nearly a million dollar business! Maybe you should start taking that crippled cop seriously. We still have to get out of San Francisco," Hank said disgusted with Derek. "Go get the old biddy to cooperate."

Derek left the office and headed out to deal with Victoria Ironside. Knock her out and dump her! He must be kidding. After all the trouble that old bag had caused them, there was no way he was going to let her go back to that cripple nephew of hers. She would spill her gut about everything she had learned. Derek was not about to allow that to happen. No, he would limit the damage Ironside could cause them. Rogers had not kept an eye on the old woman and they had no idea how much she knew. One thing was for sure if they let her go, whatever she knew Ironside would know and Derek was not about to allow that to happen.

He walk down the hall and nodded to the guard on duty. When he reached the room, the old woman was in, he placed the key in the door and unlocked it. Derek opened the door to find Victoria Ironside sitting with the three children.

"I'll get right to the point Miss Ironside. Hank and I know you hid the journal in Ironside's office. Don't bother to deny it. I don't have the time or the patience to take any crap from you. I am going to tell you what we are going to do. At two o'clock, you and I are going to go over to your crippled cop's office. You are going to retrieve the journal while I am downstairs. Do you follow me so far?" Derek asked.

"I follow you but I have no intentions of helping you do anything," Victoria said.

Derek laughed. "Oh, I think you will. After you retrieve the journal, we will drop you somewhere your crippled nephew does not know about. After we get far enough away, we will call him and let him know where you are. You can sing to him like a canary if you want to but it will not do any good. We will be long gone by then. Do you understand?"

"I understand my only chance of staying alive is not to help you and wait until my nephew comes for me and that is exactly what I intend to do," Victoria told him.

"You know, I just don't think that is the way this is going to go down, lady."

"You aren't very bright are you Derek? That must be why Hank is in charge. First my nephew is not going to let me waltz in there, pick up the journal and leave. You see, Robert is far smarter than you are," she said with disdain for the young man.

"Your nephew is not as smart as you give him credit for. He has been called and told to pay fifty thousand dollars in ransom or he will never see you alive again. We have told him where to make the drop. He will go himself with all of his officers and he will have the area crawling with plain clothed cops. But your smart nephew will be waiting a long time because we have no intentions of picking up the ransom. While they are out you are going to go into his office and retrieve the journal and bring it to me. If you do not follow my instructions to the letter there will be consequences, understand?" Derek took a step toward her and the children.

"What consequences?" Victoria asked.

Derek grabbed Amy Adams. The child started screaming and reaching for Victoria. Derek placed his hand over the girl's mouth.

"Let her go!" Victoria yelled.

"Here are your consequences, Miss Ironside. I will be taking this brat with us. If you do not come out with the journal and NO COPS, I will kill this kid. Do I make myself clear?" Derek grinned at her as he struggled with the squirming child.

"Yes, you make yourself perfectly clear," Victoria said solemnly.

"Good, I will be back for you later." Derek dropped the child to the floor with no concern for the distance. He left the room laughing as the child screamed after hitting the floor.

Victoria hurried over to Amy and gathered her into her arms. She could not wait until Robert caught these animals and he would. If Derek and Hank thought Ironside would fall for the ransom drop, they were dumber than even she thought they were.

xxxxx

"Chief, I think you should see this," Eve said. "This dates back fifty four years." She handed him the page of the journal she had be studying.

Ironside took the page from his officer. "Was anything found in the records I asked be checked?"

"No chief, nothing," she told him.

"Thank you, Eve. Keep looking." Ironside wheeled away from the table and into the next room. He opened the closet door and pulled out a box that was sitting at the back of the closet. Inside were letters his mother had written. He knew something had been mentioned in one of them that Victoria was going away for a visit to the east coast. He kept searching the letters until he came upon the one he was looking for. He checked the date. The letter also dated back fifty four years. He pulled a pen out of his jacket pocket and wrote the date from the letter on a piece of paper he found in his suit coat. After returning the letter to the box and placing it at the back of the closet, Ironside returned to the table.

"Eve, I would like you to call the register of deeds in Bangor, Maine. Check the birth records dating back fifty-four years. You know what to ask for." He handed the paper with the date on it to his policewoman.

"Carl, I want police officers assigned to watch the ransom drop site. No one is going to be showing up but I intend on covering all bases."

Lt. Reese went to a phone and dialed. "Give me Sgt. Burrows," he said.

Ironside glanced at the clock. It was eleven thirty. He was starting to get frustrated. There had to be something in the records that showed where Rogers and Wagner were holding those kids. Why had they not found it? Eve had started at the back of the records, which contain the most recent transactions. He was running out of time. If he did not find out where they were keeping those kids soon Rogers and Wagner were going to be gone. What would they do with the children they were still holding. Ironside shuttered to think. One of these men had already killed one man. He had no doubt they would have no problem killing both the children and his Aunt Victoria.

For an hour and a half, his staff continued pouring over the copies of the journals. The mood in the room had become rather dark. No one wanted to let the chief down.

"Chief! I think I have something here," Ed shouted excitedly. "Take a look."

Ironside grabbed the papers Ed had been looking at. "This is it! Ed, check and find out if there is a black and white in the area. Have them run by this address. He handed the paper back to Sgt. Brown.

Brown went to a phone and dialed the duty desk downstairs. "Patch me into the patrol car that is in the vicinity of Eddy and Simpson Streets." Ed waited what seemed like forever to Ironside but finally got the patrol car on the line. He explained the situation to the officers. "You are not to do anything but check out the shelter. I repeat, you are not to approach the suspects nor are you to be spotted."

Ironside wheeled over to the table Ed had made his call. Everyone was watching the two men waiting for word from the patrol car. Waiting was not one of Ironside strong suits. He had become fidgety and was tapping his fingers on the table.

Finally, Ed began conversing with the officers. "Patrolman, I would like you to repeat what you just told me to Chief Ironside. Ed punched the speaker button.

"Chief, two men have left the shelter with a child and an elderly woman. They got in a Ford sedan, license plate L865T3."

"Carl, find out if we have any unmarked vehicles in the area, fast!" Ironside barked.

Carl grabbed the nearest phone. After a minute, Carl turned his head to Ironside while still on the phone. "We are in luck chief. Roman and Strohan are in the area. I gave them the location and license. They are tailing the suspects now."

"Chief, do you want us to stop them?" Carl asked.

"No! They could kill the child or Aunt Victoria if they panic. We are going to play this their way at least for a while. Ed, you Carl, Eve and Fran are going to leave here in the van with Mark driving. Call downstairs and have Harold Browning report to the van. Mark, take my spare wheelchair. Harold is going to pose as me. I will be staying in this office. The rest of you will go to the ransom site"

"Chief, they are not trying to collect ransom," Ed said confused.

"No, but Rogers is going to be there to let Wagner know if we show up there. They will be expecting me to be there to attempt an arrest after the pickup. Ed, take a brief case. Throw some newspaper in it to give it some weight. Make the drop off. You are to wait until Rogers sees and reports the drop off to Wagner. Then pick him up."

"Yes sir." Ed said. "But what are you going to do?

"Wait for Victoria." Ironside answered. He turned his head as he heard the police fax go into action.

Eve walked over to it, took the information from the fax, and gave it to her boss.

He read it and said softly to himself…..Victoria, why didn't you just tell me. Never give into a blackmailer."

"Alright, everyone get moving." Ironside stuffed the information in his suit pocket. As his staff filed out the door, Ironside picked up all the papers that were spread out on the table his officers had been working at. He wheeled over to his desk and stuffed them into one of the drawers.

xxxx

Mark pulled the van up in front of the station and waited for his friends to join him.

xxxx

As the back elevator opened into the garage, Ed hesitated. Carl and Eve watched him. Fran stepped out of the elevator. "What's wrong Ed?" Eve asked.

"I may get busted down to traffic control for this but I am not leaving the chief alone up there. Carl, do you think you can get in the van without Wagner getting a good look at you?"

Carl immediately knew where Ed was going with this. "Just call me Sgt. Ed Brown," he said with a grin.

"I am not sure this is a good idea. They are expecting all of us," Eve said uneasy about this plan."

"They are expecting, me, you, and Mark and the chief. They are not expecting Fran or Carl," Ed said. That gave him another idea. "Fran, you are staying with me. I will take complete responsibility for ordering you to stay behind."

Fran's laugh was uneasy. "The chief would just say that his orders supersede yours, Ed."

Ed looked at Fran. "Ok, if you would rather go with Mark, Carl and Eve, go ahead."

"I didn't say that," Fran grinned. Doesn't the chief want people around him that can think for themselves? Besides, I have been on traffic control before. It's not as bad as the chief thinks it is."

"**Yes, it is**," said Carl, Eve and Ed at the same time.

"Well, I am staying with Ed," Fran said. "At least I can't get busted out of his office since I am not assigned there in the first place."

Eve smiled. "Well, then let's do it. We might as well handle traffic control together. That way we can cause enough accidents to make the chief regret busting us when he gets an irate call from Commissioner Randall."

Carl turned to Ed. "Be careful and watch the chief's back."

"I will," Ed responded.

xxxxx

Harold Browning met Ironside's people at the door going out to the van. "I guess I am Chief Ironside again, huh?"

"You have the unfortunate reality of resembling the chief," Carl grinned.

"Just tell me, nobody is going to take pot shots at me thinking I am Ironside, are they?"

Eve laughed. "Why do you think he sends you instead of going himself?"

"That's what I thought," Harold said with resignation. Everyone laughed.

Harold sat down in the wheelchair and Carl got behind him to push. "Okay Eve, I am going to slouch a bit. See if you can spot Wagner."

Eve kept her eye out for Wagner as she opened the door. She saw Wagner across the street. "To the left, Carl." Eve moved out in front between Wagner and Carl to try to shield him from his view.

Harold turned Ironside wheel chair around and backed onto the lift. Carl got in the van.

"Where's Ed?" Mark

"He stayed behind to watch the chief's back," Carl said.

"The chief is not going to be happy," Mark said. He started the van. As soon as Harold Browning was secured in the van, Mark drove the van out into the street and head for Golden Gate Park.

xxxxx

Victoria sat in the back of the vehicle. Derek Wagner was in the front watching the building. Ironside's van was driven out of the police garage and was pulled to the curb. Derek strained his eyes to see if Ironside's aide was behind the wheel. Yes, it was he. He wondered if Ironside and his people were in that van. Hank did not plan this very well, Derek thought, how was he to know if anyone other than his aide was in the van.

The door of the police garage opened. Ironside was wheeled out. Derek looked. From this distance, it was difficult to tell if that was Ironside's sergeant. He was about the right height. It had to be him. There was no mistaking Ironside's pretty policewoman. That was definitely her. Derek picked up his cell phone. He pressed the speed dial and called Hank Rogers. When Rogers answered, Derek said, "Hank, Ironside just left in the van."

"Was all three of his staff members with him?" Hank asked.

"Yes. The aide was driving. His sergeant and the policewoman got in the van. They left a couple minutes ago. Call me back when they arrive at Golden Gate Park. I want to make sure they don't come back before we get a chance to remove the journal," Derek demanded.

"Will do," Hank responded.

xxxxx

Ed and Fran got back on the elevator and headed back to the fourth floor where Ironside's office was located.

"Are we going back into the office?" Fran asked.

"No, the chief would just order us out. We are going down the hall in the empty office. We will wait there. I have a feeling Wagner is going to come up to the chief's office to make sure his aunt does not alert the police."

The elevator opened. Ed and Fran got off. Instead of turning to their left toward the chief's office, they turned to the right. Ed reached in his pocket and pull out his keys. After unlocking the door, he and Fran went in. Now all they had to do was wait.

xxxxx

Ironside wheeled over to his desk. He reached down to the bottom drawer and pulled out his service revolver. With Ed and Eve around him most of the time, he rarely carried it unless the situation called for it. This was one situation that did.

He did not mention to his staff that he believed Wagner would decide to come up to his office with his aunt. Ironside had no choice but to send his staff to Golden Gate park. If had not Rogers and Wagner would have realize he had not fallen for their phony ransom ploy. They had to think his office was empty in order to come up after the journal. Ironside had considered Wagner would send Victoria up to get it by threatening her but Wagner would not want to take the chance of her alerting the police. He had no choice but to come up with her. He considered involving other police in the department but he did not want to risk anything happening to his aunt or the little girl that had been seen leaving the shelter with them. No this was one time he was going to have to do it himself.

Ironside checked his revolver to be sure it was fully loaded. With one hand, he lifted his right leg and set the gun under it. It was not exactly comfortable but he would be able to access it. All he would have to do was find a way to distract Wagner.

xxxxx

Mark pulled the van into Golden Gate Park and turned toward the area where the bench they were supposed to make the drop was located. The phone in the van rang. Carl grabbed it. "Reese," he answered.

"Lieutenant, we have spotted Rogers. He is not far from the drop. He's watching so make it look good," the officer said.

"Mark, pull up close to the drop and bring the van to a stop. Eve, you get out with me. Harold, open the door, get into the lift but don't take it to the ground. Just sit there as if you were overseeing the drop."

Mark pulled the van to a stop. Harold pushed the button that opened the van door. He wheeled into the lift, lowered it just a bit and watched as Carl walked forward with the brief case. Eve followed behind, looking around as if she were making sure no one was around.

Carl put the brief case under the bench and he and Eve headed back to the van. Harold Browning raised the lift back up and backed the wheel chair into the van. Once everyone was back in, Mark pulled the van away from the drop and drove away.

xxxxx

Hank reached for his cell phone and called Derek. "They fell for it. Ironside just had his number one man leave a brief case at the drop. Send his aunt up after the journal." Rogers hung up the phone. He pulled his vehicle away for the curb and head out of Golden Gate Park. He had not gotten far when six vehicles came from every direction. His path was blocked as the vehicle had him boxed in. Ironside's van came into view and pulled up in front of his the vehicle.

Carl jumped out of the van, made his way through the army of police that had descended on Rogers' car. He opened Rogers's car and shouted, "Get out!"

Rogers did as he was told. Carl grabbed him by the shoulder and threw him against the vehicle. He cuffed him and read him his rights. "You really didn't think Chief Ironside was dumb enough to fall for ransom when he had the journal, did you?"

"I told Derek not to get mixed up with Ironside," Rogers grumbled.

"You better pray Wagner doesn't harm the Chief's aunt. You already have several counts of kidnapping against you. If Wagner kills her, you will be facing a murder wrap." Carl turned to the ranking officer and said, "Take him to the station and book him but make sure you take him through the police officer's entrance. We would not want Wagner to see him."

The officer took Rogers away and placed him in the back of one of the unmarked police cars. "Carl, I sent one of the boys back for the money."

"Money? What money? The chief had us fill the briefcase with newspaper," Carl replied.

Rogers put his head in his handcuffed hands. A cripple cop, that's what Wagner kept calling Ironside. If he could get his hands on Wagner now, he would kill him. Ironside…of all the cops to get mixed up with.

xxxxx

Wagner pulled his gun out of his jacket pocket and attached a silencer on it. He pointed it at Victoria Ironside. "Now, let's go get that journal."

"I thought I was going after the journal," she said, surprised.

"I have changed my mind. I am not taking a chance that you decide to alert the police. Do exactly as you are told and you and this brat just may get out of this alive," Derek said. "Now get out of the vehicle and keep that brat quiet."

Victoria got out of the car and helped little Amy out. She held the girl close to her and headed toward the police station.

"We are going up the garage elevator to Ironside's office. That way," Derek pointed. "I remind you, try anything and I'll kill the brat and then you. Got it?"

"Yes, I understand," Victoria answered.

Wagner led her around to the police garage. Ironside's van was normally parked near the elevator that led to his office. When they arrived, they got in the elevator and Wagner pushed the button to the fourth floor. The doors opened, Wagner put his arm around Victoria neck and pointed the gun at her head. The turned left toward Ironside's office. Wagner turned sideways so he could watch the hall.

Xxxxx

Ed opened the door a crack. He could see Wagner. "Damn it. I can't get a shot off. I could hit Victoria. We will have to wait."

Fran took a step back. She had her service revolver in her hand anxious to help Ed protect the chief.

xxxxx

Derek turned the knob and opened Ironside's office. He continued to keep his one arm around Victoria's neck and returned the gun back to her temple.

"Come in, Mr. Wagner," Ironside called out.


	11. Chapter 11

Victoria's Secret

Chapter 11

Carl got back into the van. "Mark, get us back to the chief's office and don't waste time worrying about your speed."

"You got it," Mark said as he stepped down on the accelerator.

"That turned out to be very successful," Harold said.

"Not yet it hasn't," Eve disagreed.

"I don't understand. You got the man you were after," he said a bit confused.

"It's the other guy I am worried about. He is going into the chief's office. He will be holding the chief's aunt. Ironside is by himself," Carl said.

"But I thought Sgt. Brown was staying behind to protect him." Harold locked the wheels on Ironside's chair to stop it from rolling around.

"Wagner is going to use the chief's aunt against him. There is no telling what he will do when he gets there and finds out the chief outsmarted him and has Rogers in custody," Eve explained. "That is why Ed wanted to stay behind. Ed will be handicapped with the same problem the chief has."

"Wagner has a hostage and that hostage is the chief's aunt," Harold said as he understood the concern Carl and Eve had.

"He has two hostages," Eve said. "Don't forget the child. The chief is going to do everything he can to protect her as well."

"I would not count the chief out," Harold said. He is plenty resourceful."

"Right now I just want to get there and change the odds more in the chief's favor," Carl said. "Step on it Mark! No cop is going to pull over the chief's van.

xxxxx

Derek kept his arm around Victoria's neck with his gun against her temple. "Hank said he saw you leave this office. He saw you in Golden Gate Park," he said in disbelief.

"Of course he did. That is exactly what I wanted him to see. Mr. Rogers should be in custody by now. Ed is very efficient," Ironside said. "You really didn't think I would fall for that ransom ploy, did you?"

"Since you did not it is only logical to assume you have found the journal," Derek tighten his grip around Victoria's neck.

Amy Adams stared at the man in the wheel chair. The little girl remembered her mommy reading the newspaper. She asked him mommy about the man in the wheelchair who was in the picture. Her mommy said he was a good man who protected people. What was it mommy said he did? Of yes, she remembered now. The man in the wheel chair was a police officer. Mommy said police officers could always be trusted.

The lady had been very nice to her but she could not stop the bad man from hurting her. She had to get to the man in the wheel chair. The lady had her arm resting around Amy's body. Amy just had to get away from this bad man. Amy quickly dropped out from underneath Victoria's grip to the floor. Victoria made no attempt to stop her. She knew she would be safer with Robert.

Amy ran toward Chief Ironside. Victoria watched in horror as Derek raised his silenced gun and pointed it at the child. Victoria raised her right leg and slammed her high-heeled shoe into his foot. Derek yelled at the pain the heel caused as it slammed into his toes.

Amy reached Chief Ironside who grabbed the child by the waist and with one arm swung the little girl around and in behind his wheel chair. "Stay there," he told her.

Derek slammed the butt of the gun into the side of Victoria's face. Just as quickly, he raised the gun and pointed it directly at Ironside. "Don't move, Ironside or I will kill her," he shouted.

Ironside looked at his aunt. With rising rage over his helplessness to protect Victoria, his twenty plus years of experience as a cop tempered his desire to act. He would wait. An opportunity had to present itself to use the gun tucked under his leg.

"You cannot get out of this building, Mr. Wagner. By now, my staff has contacted the police downstairs to inform them of the situation up here. Rogers is in custody and under my orders, your shelter has been raided by police. The guards are under arrest and the children have been rescued. Give me the gun, Mr. Wagner," Ironside barked. "It's over. You have nowhere to go. You will be shot the moment you leave this building.

Derek Wagner laughed openly at Robert Ironside. "Get a load of this. The crippled cop is ordering me around. Let me set you straight Ironside. I AM walking out of the building. If I see a single cop, I will kill the old lady. Now give me the journal, NOW!" He shouted.

Ironside shook his head. "What good do you think retrieving that journal will do you? We know all about your operation. Even if I give you the journal, we have the computers," Ironside pointed out.

Derek laughed again. "Hank destroyed them by remote control."

"No, Mr. Wagner. Haven't you ever heard you should destroy the hard drive, not just what is on it. Quite often, the data can be revived. That was the case with your computers," Ironside bluffed.

Derek's mind feverishly tried to process what Ironside had just said. Derek did not know enough about computers to know if what he said was true. "You're lying Ironside."

"Am I, Mr. Wagner. Then tell me, how would I know this? You and your brother are both products of the very system in which you and Rogers have been running for the past five years. Until then the couple you know as your parents ran it. You and Harry were kidnapped from your real parents and you were raised by the people whom you accepted as your parents since you were five years old. You know fully well the only way I could have gotten that information was from those computers."

Derek stared at Ironside in shock. How could he know that? Even Harry had not known that. Derek tried to remember his conversations with Hank. Was that information on the computers or was it in the journals? Derek's head was swimming.

Ironside took advantage of Derek's confusion. He whispered to Amy behind him. "Go into the room behind you and lock the door. Don't come out until I come for you." Amy did not hesitate. She knew this man would protect her. She turned, ran into the room and locked the door. Derek did not even seem to notice.

xxxxx

Mark pulled into the parking garage. Carl and Eve jumped down from the van. Mark joined them. "Eve, send Ed a text on his phone. Ask him where he is and what we can do to help. Let him know that we have informed headquarters on what is going on up there. Tell him we have unmarked cars ready to follow Wagner if he tries to leave using Victoria as a hostage."

"I am already on it, Carl." Eve had her phone out, fingers flying across the keyboard.

A plain-clothes officer approached Carl with his badge in hand. "Lieutenant, we have all of the men in place you have asked for."

"No one is to move in unless I give the order. Is that clear?" Carl said.

"Yes sir, I have already told the officers that," he told Carl.

"Carl, Ed has answered. He understands and would like us to come up and take his place. He and Fran are going to go around and attempt to enter the chief's office from the other entrance," Eve read from her cell phone.

"Let's go. Mark, I know that it is useless to tell you to stay here so make sure you stay behind Eve and me," Carl said. All three entered the elevator.

xxxxx

Victoria watched as Robert whispered something to Amy. To her relief she watched Amy turn and run into the room behind Robert. Victoria heard the lock click into place.

Ironside acute hearing heard the door to the second entrance to his office open. His instincts told him Ed had just entered the office. He knew between him and Carl, one of them would disobey his orders and stay behind. Ed was more apt to disobey an order when he knew Ironside would be in danger. This was one time he was glad Ed had. Nevertheless, he knew he would have to verbally reprimand him for doing so. "Derek, give me the gun. You cannot escape. Let Victoria go. You are in enough trouble without adding more."

"You would like that, wouldn't you Ironside. No, I am getting out of here, NOW GIVE ME THE JOURNAL or I will kill your aunt right here in front of you!" He shouted.

xxxxx

Ed unlocked the door to the secondary entrance to Ironside's office as quietly as he could. Staying low, he entered the office and then motioned for Fran to do the same. They could hear Derek Wagner threatening to kill Victoria unless their boss turned over the journal.

"The journal is useless to you now. The computers have been restored," Ironside insisted.

"Those computers did not have everything on them Ironside. I want that journal. I am not going to tell you again!" Wagner pointed the gun directly at Ironside.

xxxxx

Carl put his hand on the doorknob of the main entrance door into Ironside's office. He turned slowly and left the door slightly ajar. He looked at Eve who nodded to let him know she was ready as soon as he gave the order. Carl waited to hear what was going on inside the office.

xxxxx

Ironside knew he could stall no longer. He could not take a chance Derek would make good on his threat to kill his aunt. He reached down the side of his chair.

Derek stretched out his arm, pointing the gun at Ironside and screamed, "Don't try anything, Ironside. I will kill her. I mean it!" He turned the gun back toward Victoria pressing the barrel to her temple.

Ironside held his hand up. "The book is under my right leg. What do you think I am going to do while you are holding a gun on my aunt? It is not as if I am going to give my officers some signal to storm this office. Are you going to let me reach for the journal or not?" Ironside asked.

"Go ahead," Derek said tightening his grip on Victoria. "But don't try anything."

The main door banged open. Carl and Eve burst into the office with guns drawn as Ed and Fran did the same from the other entrance.

Derek swung around to the main door. It was opportunity Ironside had been waiting for. He pulled the revolver from behind his leg, aimed and shot the hand in which Derek Wagner was holding the gun. He screamed, dropped the gun and grabbed his bleeding hand.

Carl, who was closest to Wagner and Victoria raced over and grabbed Victoria, shielding her with his body. Eve grabbed Victoria from him to free Carl to deal with Wagner.

Ed had already raced in, kicked Wagner's gun toward Chief Ironside. He holstered his gun, pulled out cuffs and put them on Wagner. Fran held her gun on Derek Wagner, insuring he did not try anything further.

Mark came up behind Ironside. "You ok, chief?"

Ironside let out a sigh of relief. "I'm fine Mark."

Fran went to the phone nearest her and called downstairs to inform them the situation was under control and to call off the plain-clothes officers.

Eve released Victoria after Ed had the cuffs on Wagner.

Victoria walked toward her nephew. When she reached him, she bent down and Ironside put his arms around her. "Aunt Victoria, I swear if I catch you interfering in anymore police work, I will personally throw you in jail myself. Do I make myself clear?" He pushed her back, holding on to both her arm and looked directly into her eyes.

"Yes, Robert. You make it perfectly clear," Victoria said.

Ironside turned his chair around and wheeled to the door behind him. He knocked on the door and gently said, "Amy, this is Chief Ironside. Everything is all right. You can come out now.

The door opened. Ironside backed up his chair to give the child room to re-enter the office. Amy ran right for him and climbed into his lap. "Mommy said you protected people. She was right." The little girl hugged Ironside.

"You're safe now," Ironside whispered. "I bet you would like to go home, wouldn't you?"

She let go of him and with tears in her eyes said, "Do you mean it. Can I really go home and see mommy and daddy.

"You sure can," Ironside assured her, gently wiping the tears from her cheek with his thumb."

A smile broke out across her face. She kissed Ironside's cheek and said, "Thank you, Chief Ironman."

"Eve, call Amy's parents," Ironside ordered.

While Ed was busy reading Wagner his rights, Fran attended to his bleeding hand.

Carl went over to Ironside and sat down beside him and the little girl. "Ok, how did you know we were here?"

"I heard both of the doors open. You don't think I could have lived here for several years without knowing the sound those doors make when they open, do you?" Ironside said gruffly.

Eve came over to take Amy out of Chief Ironside's lap. The little girl wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life.

Ironside reached behind his neck and released her grip. "This is Officer Whitfield. She is a police officer too. I would like you to go with her. She will protect you. She is going to get you cleaned up to see you mom and dad."

Amy nodded and kissed his cheek one more time. Eve took the girl out of Ironside's lap.

Police officers entered the office and took custody of Derek Wagner.

"Now, I would like to know which one of you disobeyed my orders," Ironside said.

Ed, Eve, Fran and Carl looked back and forth between one another. No one said anything.

"That's what I thought. None of you did," Ironside barked. "Well whichever one of you….or more than one of you that did 'NOT' disobey my orders, consider yourself verbally reprimanded."

Everyone looked at the boss and smiled. Ed grinned knowing he had just dodged the proverbial bullet. The NOT meant whoever did disobey his order was being overlooked….this time.

"Ed, Eve get over to that shelter and find out everything you can. That journal is going to put a lot of people in jail from what I have read in it. Carl, go downstairs and oversee the booking of Wagner. I don't want any mistakes. Oh and release the Tuesday Afternoon Bridge Club. Fran, you can report back to your department."

On their way out, they were met by the Adams. Amy jumped off the chair she had been sitting in and ran into the arms of her mother. "Mommy, mommy. Chief Ironman protected me! You were right!" Her mother and father hugged her tightly.

Amy's father walked up to Ironside. "We can't thank you enough, Chief. You have no idea what it means to have her returned to us safely. Thank you, chief." He shook Ironside's hand.

Amy's parents each took one of her hands to lead her out of the office. Suddenly Amy broke loose and ran back to Ironside. She climbed into his lap, kissed him on the cheek and said, "I love you Chief Ironman." She got down and ran back to her parents.

"Mark, would you excuse us please," Ironside said to his aide. Mark went into his room and closed the door.

Victoria looked down at her hands waiting for the lecture she knew was coming. "Robert…"

"I'll do the talking if you do not mind," Ironside said. "You are my only living relative….."

"You have a half-brother who is a successful attorney in Los Angeles…."

"Victoria!" Ironside said raising his voice.

She looked down again. "I am sorry, Robert. Go ahead."

"What does it take for me to get through to you? You came very close to getting yourself killed.

"Robert, I promise you I will never interfere with police business again," she said.

"Yes, I have heard that before. Those exact same words in a matter of fact," Ironside recalled.

"But this time I mean it, Robert. I have learned my lesson. "I give you my word I will never again interfere with police business. I will leave it to you."

Ironside looked at his aunt. He could see she was quite shaken by the events of the last few days. He changed his demeanor and asked gently, "Do you want to tell me about it, Victoria."

"About what?" She asked.

Ironside lowered his head and raised his eyebrows.

Victoria saw the look on his face and asked, "What do you want to know?"

"Why did you seek out that job at the adoption agency?"

"Well, I read about the child kidnappings and wanted to help solv….."

"Victoria," Ironside interrupted.

She put her hands in her lap and looked down, "It is not easy telling you this."

"Take your time," he said gently.

"When I read about the kidnappings, it brought back memories. I saw an advertisement that the Coleman Adoption Agency was seeking help so I went to the Employment Agency to check out the job. It was the names of two of the listed owners that struck a nerve," she said.

"Derek and Harry Wagner." Ironside guessed.

"Yes, that's right. You see Robert, years ago I knew a man by the name of Jeffrey Wagner. He was in charge of an adoption agency." She became quiet.

"Go on," Ironside told her quietly.

"This isn't easy," she looked away from her nephew.

Ironside took her hand in his. "I'm listening.

"When I was very young, I met this boy. I became very fond of him. My parents forbid me from seeing him but I did so anyway. I fell in love with him, actually. Well one thing led to another and…" She stopped and became silent.

"You became pregnant," Ironside said.

She could not look at her nephew. "Yes. My parents were furious with me. They were worried about how it would look….what people would say. They decided no one would ever know. They sent me away to Bangor, Maine. I had the baby. I was supposed to give him up for adoption but I just could not do it. After I held him in my arms…..I just could not do it. I made up my mind I would run away and raise him on my own.

I went to work as a waitress in a small restaurant. I met a woman who helped me find a babysitter for Jason. She seemed like a very nice woman and I had to trust someone. For about a month everything was fine. Then one day I went to her apartment after work to pick up Jason and the apartment was completely cleared of everything. I could not go to the police. In those days even at seventeen, I was not by law old enough to make decisions for myself. They would have returned me to my parents and they would not have pursued Jason's disappearance. I decided to find out what happened to Jason myself.

I befriend the secretary of the adoption agency. It was run by Jeffrey Wagner. After a while, Margaret began to trust me and she started telling me all about the adoption agency. Except it really was not an adoption agency, Robert."

"You found out they kidnapped children and then sold them to people who could not have children of their own," Ironside said.

"That's right. Jeffrey Wagner found out who I was and he destroyed the records on Jason…at least I thought he had. I did not have any proof except for what Margaret told me. After Wagner found out who I was, I never saw Margaret again. Either she was fired or who know what else might have happened to her. I decide to go to the police. I told them everything I knew but when they learned how old I was, they contacted my parents and I was sent home, just as I thought they would.

When I became a legal adult, I went back to Maine to try to find out what happened to Jason but the agency was no longer there. I was not able to find out where it had moved to.

So when I heard the names of Harry and Derek Wagner, I could not believe it. I got the job at the Coleman Adoption Agency to try to find out if they were related to Jeffrey Wagner. I was hoping to find out what happened to Jason. However, when I started going through the records I recognized Tommy Gavin, at least his picture. That is when I decided to help get him away from the people who bought him."

"Derek Wagner was blackmailing you. It was because he found out about the pregnancy and Jason?" Ironside asked, although he already knew.

"Yes. He found out you were my nephew. He threatened to tell you about it unless I got you to back off from your investigation of the kidnapped children. I knew you would never do that. I thought I could find a way to provide you with the information on those poor children. I was desperately looking for a way to stop him from telling you about Jason." She again looked down at her hands.

"Why didn't you just come to me and tell me about Jason and what Wagner was doing to you? With the information you had at the time, I could have gotten a court order and raided the adoption agency right then," Ironside said. He continued to speak to her in a gentle voice.

Tears appeared in Victoria's eyes. "Robert, you mean so much to me. You are like my own son. I could not stand to lose your respect or your love. I was afraid you would think less of me and I couldn't bear that."

"Come here," he told her.

She pulled her chair right next to his wheel chair. Ironside took her in his arms. "Don't you realize there is nothing you could have done that would make me think less of you? You will always have my respect and my love. What happened to you happens to many young ladies to this day. I would never judge you for that. I am a cop, Aunt Victoria. I see much more than you ever will. You should never be ashamed of loving someone, even if the love was never meant to be. I will always love you," Ironside said gently.

Victoria again moved into his embrace. She smiled at him and said, "Thank you and I will always love you, Chief Ironman."

Ironside laughed and hugged her tighter. "I have a surprise for you. Earlier today, I had Eve check the births in Bangor, Maine. She found your son's birth record."

"While waiting for you and Derek Wagner to arrive, I read that journal. It is a record of the activities of the Wager family dating back fifty-seven years. They have been running a child trafficking business, passing it down from generation to generation. Hank Rogers actually worked for Derek Wagner. I believe Harry Wagner wanted out of the business and Derek killed him to keep him quiet. The reason Derek wanted that book was it had every transaction, that is every child, that his family had ever stolen and sold…..and to whom."

"While waiting, I did some checking and found out where Jason is today," Ironside told her."

Shocked, Victoria gasps and put her hand to her mouth. "And where is he?"

"I am right here Mother," said a voice from behind her.

Victoria turned around and looked at a man who was standing in the open door of Ironside's office. He was tall, a man just about the same age as Robert. He had graying hair, wore a mustache, a very handsome man. He came down the ramp and sat beside Victoria.

"Chief Ironside called me and explained to me what happened all those years ago. My adoptive parents both died several years ago in a car accident. I found among their records the paperwork of my adoption. I hired a private detective to find my real parents. It lead me here to San Francisco. My problem was I did not know your name. I only knew I had been adopted out of an agency run by a man named Jeffrey Wagner. The private detective learned that the agency had been passed down to each generation. A week ago it became a dead end as when I visited the Coleman Adoption Agency, Hank Rogers claimed to be the owner and told me he never heard of the Wagners."

"Apparently, they hid behind Rogers to keep under the radar. I have been here is San Francisco nearly a month and was about to give up and go home when Chief Ironside called me at my hotel. My name is Justin Pullman. I am the boy you named Jason."

Victoria began to cry. She put her arms around Justin. He hugged her and rocked her back and forth. "It's all right now, Mother. We have found each other at last."

"We have so much catching up to do," she said to him. "Chief Ironside is my nephew."

"Yes, he told me that when he called me. It is nice to know I have a famous cousin." He shook Ironside's hand. "Thank you chief. You cannot know what this means to me. I would like to get to know you as well. But right now, I just want to take my mother to dinner. Is that ok with you chief?" Justin asked.

Ironside smiled. "I think that is a fabulous idea."

Justin took Victoria's hand and turned to lead her out of Ironside's office. She turned back and looked at her nephew. Victoria let go of Justin's hand and walked back to Ironside. "Thank you Robert."

"You're welcome, Victoria." He took her hand and kissed the back of it.

Victoria bent down and whispered in his ear. "I love you, Chief Ironman."

The End.


End file.
